20 Iranian PGL players to watch – Part 3

Persianfootball.com – TEHRAN, Less than 24 hours ahead of the beginning of the 2015/16 Persian Gulf League season, we conclude our series by Dara Zarandi about the 20 hottest prospects in Iranian domestic football.

Find the first part, covering position 20-15, and the second part on position 14- 8 here:
https://www.persianfootball.com/news/2015/07/23/20-iranian-pgl-players-to-watch-part-1/
https://www.persianfootball.com/news/2015/07/26/20-iranian-pgl-players-to-watch-part-2/

#7 – Omid Alishah
Age: 23
Position: RM/LM/Winger
Club: Persepolis

If you like watching fast pace, energetic, and entertaining football, then Omid Alishah will likely be your favorite player to watch in the PGL. The standout winger was mentored by Ali Daei during the 2011-12 PGL season with Rah Ahan and made the move with Daei to the reds the following season. On the international level, Alishah has featured in the Iran U17 World Cup side back in 2009, Iran’s 2010 U19 AFC Youth Championship team, and was a consistent call up for the Olympic side under Alireza Mansourian. Most of Persepolis’s success in the 2015 Asian Champions League could largely be credited to Omid, whose creativity and explosive runs on the left flank caused trouble for some of the strongest sides in Asia. His athleticism is certainly not a common attribute you will find in most domestic players of the PGL, giving him a tremendous edge over any winger in Iran. Persepolis head coach Branco Ivankovic has done a fine job of supporting him this upcoming season with a new group of young players such as Mohsen Mosalman and Kamal Kamyabinia who will be able to compliment his energy up front very well. Sky is the limit for Omid.

#6 – Kaveh Rezaei
Age: 23
Position: Striker
Club: Zob Ahan

Arguably one of the most impressive Iranian National Team players at the U17, U20, and U23 levels, Kaveh is set up perfectly to finally have his break out season. Expectations were high and support was minimal at his former clubs of Foolad Khuzestan and Saipa. Majid Jalali never showed full faith in Kaveh during his time at Foolad, starting him only in 5 games out of 15 league appearances in 2010-11. His move to Saipa two seasons later showed more promise to grow at the club level, but again, his lack of consistent inclusion in the starting line-up wasn’t helping him grow despite scoring tons of goals for Iran’s Olympic side. After making a mid season transfer to Zob Ahan last season, Kaveh started to come into his own. Rezaie managed to score his first hat trick of his senior career against Naft Tehran and scored against them again a few weeks later in the Hazfi Cup final, helping the Esfahani based club lift the trophy for the first time in 6 years. When looking at his goals scored when wearing the national team shirt, one cannot help but perceive him to be the most polished finisher in Iran since Ali Daei, scoring goals in nearly every game he plays. So now with his new club, coach (Yahya Golmohammadi – who has shown a lot of faith in him), and team mates, it is fair to assume he will be able to carry over his fine form of last season into this season. A top 5 league leader on the goal scoring chart should be a fair expectation of Kaveh.

#5 – Mehdi Taremi
Age: 23
Position: Striker
Club: Persepolis

Very few people were familiar with the name Mehdi Taremi when he transferred to Persepolis this time last year from Azadegan side Iranjavan Busher. Another one of Daei’s prospects brought in to build for the future, Taremi slowly worked his way into the starting XI by the middle of the season. His vision, eye for goal, and strength is a fantastic combination of skill for any forward to have. Taremi’s consistent play throughout the entire 2014-15 PGL season and 2015 Asian Champions League campaign proved to be enough to catch the attention of Carlos Queiroz who gave the 23 year old forward his first two senior caps last month against Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Similarly to Alishah, Taremi’s game can show its true potential with a much more talented group around him this season. If there is one thing Mehdi proved last year it is that pressure doesn’t phase him whatsoever. With almost no PGL experience Mehdi stepped into the country’s biggest club, raised expectations of himself after several performances, and capitalized on every level.

#4 – Mehdi Sharifi
Age: 22
Position: Striker
Club: Sepahan

Brought up from Sepahan’s U20 side by Zlatko Kranjcar back in 2013, Mehdi Sharifi was an unfamiliar name in Iranian football who managed to make a name for himself whenever his name was called upon by the former Croatian head coach. Sharifi immediately made his presence felt at the club by scoring on his Asian Champions League debut as well as scoring consecutive goals in PGL play. Sharifi followed up his impressive 2013-14 season by finishing second in the league goal scoring chart (with 12 goals) during the 2014-15 season for Sepahan; playing an integral role in their championship triumph. The major attribute that sets Sharifi apart from most Iranian strikers is his ability to create his own goals. Sharifi’s powerful shots, top notch volleys, ability to change direction with a blink of an eye, and his hunger for goals up front makes him a favorite to be crowned the top goal scorer of the PGL and possibly help his team lift another PGL Cup. Although there seems to be many talented young forwards emerging in the league, none seem as complete and promising as Sharifi. Reza Ghoochanejhad’s unclear situation at Charlton and Sardar Azmoun’s lack of consistent starts at Rostov makes a perfect recipe for Sharifi to step in and get some more opportunities with Team Melli…..if he can manage to maximize his potential of course. By looking at Mehdi’s past, we can expect a lot of success out of him.

#3 – Hossein Kanaani
Age: 21
Position: CB
Club: Malavan

Call him the Carlos Puyol or Vincent Komoany of Iran if you’d like, this young gem has all that it takes to prove himself to be just that. A physical beast, a commanding voice, and an ability to read the game in front of him is something not often seen in young central defenders in Iran. This was more than enough for Team Melli head coach Carlos Queiroz to give Hossein his first starting opportunity on his senior debut vs Uzbekistan. When any team in any league struggles the way Malavan did for the majority of last season, confidence, especially in youngsters are extremely rare to come across. Hossein’s consistency for his club and country in the back line showed that he was not phased by any of the adversity that was thrown his way. Great physique and heading abilities make him someone that anybody hates to go up against on set pieces. Anyone familiar with Queiroz knows that phsyicla/mental strength, aerial threats, and great physical form is something that he looks to utilize. Perhaps a Pouraliganji-Kanaani duo could be the future of Team Melli’s heart? With a perfect club situation for Hossein will receive an abundance of opportunity to play (with talented players), he can solidify himself as the clear favorite to support Pouraliganji for years to come.

#2 – Ramin Rezaeian
Age: 25
Position: RB/RM/RW/LB/LM
Club: Persepolis

Basically, Ramin was every PGL player’s nightmare to go up against last season. It’s nearly unheard of to credibly say that a single player was the vast majority of the reason his team was saved from relegation, however, Ramin proved to be an exception. His spectacular set piece goals and ever lasting engine, running his rear end off at every area of the pitch, is the biggest reason Rah Ahan will not play in the Azadegan League next season. If anyone is to be given the nick name of “Mr. Clutch” in Iran, that would be Ramin who continuously came to his team’s rescue consistently throughout the 2014-15 PGL campaign. If there is one area of the field Persepolis was in dire need of some reinforcements of, it was surely the fullback position. With Ramin’s arrival in Persepolis, look for him to be the same impact player he was at Rah Ahan, only those time perhaps helping his team achieve something a bit more rewarding than just PGL survival…..perhaps a Hazfi Cup or dare I say league title? With minimal controversy surrounding Persepolis (for the first time since the Ghotbi era essentially), a young and hungry squad, and a respectable manager in Branco Ivankovic, Persepolis now has a realistic chance to achieve something and Ramin could very well be the biggest part of that.

#1 – Alireza Beiranvand
Age: 22
Position: GK
Club: Naft Tehran

With potential to prove to be one of the best ever in his country’s history at his position, Beiranvand has everything he needs to snatch the #1 spot in Team Melli and also lift a few trophies this year. With Haghighi starting the season as Rubin Kazan’s second choice keeper and with Naft Tehran team making a push to win the 2015 Asian Champions League and 2015-16 PGL & Hazfi Cup, Beiranvand could have an opportunity to shine like never before. Standing at 6 feet 5 inches tall mixed in with his quick reactions/reflexes, his God gifted strong and accurate throws & punts, and acceptional international experience for a 22 year old keeper makes him the player to watch out for this season. Naft Tehran has an opportunity to achieve a lot, and if they manage to do so Alireza will be a key part of it. One can argue that he is sort of evolutionist get throws for a keeper as another set piece opportunity, after all his throws and punts often create a goal scoring chance or at the very least cause some kind of trouble. Then again, few if any keepers around the globe are able to do that…..yet another reason Beiranvand is an acceptional talent to watch out for.