Team Melli’s door is open for new players, says Carlos Queiroz

Tehran Times – TEHRAN, Iran coach Carlos Queiroz, who flew to Portugal with his men to hold a training camp in Lisbon, refused to rule out inviting new players ahead of 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

“I’ve invited the best players and if any player shows his quality in the league he will definitely be invited to the team. The door is open for new players but we have just 24 places in Team Melli,” Queiroz told reports before heading to Portugal.

There were some critics regarding inviting old players but the Portuguese coach believes that he calls up the best players without considering their age.

“I invite the best players no matter how old they are. Look at Portugal national team, the coach Fernando Santos has invited 38-year-old Ricardo Carvalho because he is still good. I don’t look at the player’s age. I just look how good they are,” Queiroz added.

Iran, who is preparing for the AFC Asian Cup in Australia, will play two friendly matches in Portugal camp.

The 2015 AFC Asian Cup will be held in Australia from January 9 to 31, 2015. Iran is in Group C of the AFC Asian Cup along with the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar.