Ghotbi hopes for Japan-esque turnaround

AFC – DOHA, Iran coach Afshin Ghotbi is hoping his team can follow the example of three-time AFC Asian Cup winners Japan and turn a disappointing run of form into a successful showing at the continental championship next month.

Ghotbi’s side drew 0-0 with Qatar on Tuesday evening as the two teams continue their preparations for the AFC Asian Cup to complete their third game in a row within registering a victory.

The result continues a disappointing run for a team that had previously been in fine form, winning their first seven games of the year and going nine games unbeaten before losing to Kuwait in the final of the West Asian Championship.

That defeat was followed by a 3-0 reversal against Brazil in Abu Dhabi in October, the team’s most recent game prior to the scoreless draw at the Khalifa Stadium.

“Japan in 2010 during their preparation saw some bad results but they had good results at the World Cup,” said the former Persepolis coach.

“We have to be intelligent and try to learn and improve. We have the team, we have prepared a good training programme here in Qatar, which has been very good for us and I believe that we will be ready on January 11 and the game that comes against Iraq.”

Japan’s build-up to the FIFA World Cup was worse than the run of results currently being endured by Iran, with performances so disappointing then-coach Takeshi Okada offered to resign prior to taking his team to South Africa.

But when the Japanese turned up at the finals, they performed admirably, winning twice in the group stages – against Cameroon and Denmark while also losing narrowly to eventual finalists the Netherlands – to qualify for the Round of 16 for the first time at an overseas-based World Cup.

Iran, like the Japanese, have won the AFC Asian Cup on three occasions and Ghotbi is confident his team can put together a run of form good enough to claim the title for the first time since 1976, the last of a run of three straight successes for Team Melli.

“I think for a country like Iran, with its history, we have to target always at the Asian Cup to win the title,” he said.

“We’ve had to wait 35 years but maybe we can achieve it. I believe we have the quality to achieve it and history has always shown that.”

Ghotbi, though, knows his team face a tough task to qualify for the quarterfinals out of a very competitive Group D, which features Iraq, DPR Korea and the United Arab Emirates.

“I think our group is the most difficult group in the tournament,” he said.

“We have Iraq, who are coming here as champions and they have the confidence that comes with being champions and they have enough of the quality players who helped them achieve that championship still with the team.

“DPR Korea will make life difficult for every team, just like they did for Brazil at the World Cup in South Africa. They are compact in defence and that will be a challenge for every team while they also can be dangerous on dead balls and on the counterattack.

“The Emirates are a team with a lot of quality young players who have less pressure. They are preparing for 2014 and that takes the pressure off the coach and that makes them the spoiler of the group, they are the dark horse in the group and that makes this group interesting.”