Kaffashian expresses condolence over Ivic’s death

MNA – TEHRAN, Head of Iran Football Federation (IFF) Ali Kaffashian on Tuesday expressed condolence with his Croatian counterpart Vlatko Markovic over the death of legendary coach Tomislav Ivic.

Former Croatia coach Tomislav Ivic died at the age of 77 on Friday at a hospital in Split due to diabetes and heart problems.

Ivic was named as Iran football coach in January 1997 on a six-month contract to succeed Brazilian Valdeir Vieira but was sacked three weeks before the start of the 1998 World Cup finals after the national team lost 7-1 to Italian club AS Roma in a friendly match.

“On the behalf of Iran football family, I wish to express my sympathy to the Croatian football society. Undoubtedly, it’s so hard to accept Ivic’s death for his family. I hope his family finds solace and peace,” Ali Kaffashian wrote in a letter sent to Croatia Football Federation.

Ivic coached the national teams of Yugoslavia, Croatia, Iran and the UAE as well as 20 clubs from 14 different countries, in a coaching career spanning 1967 to 2004.

He won league titles with Hajduk Split, Ajax, Anderlecht, Porto, Panathinaikos and Olympique Marseille.

In 2007, Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport named Ivic the most successful football coach in history, having won eight national titles in six different countries.