Iranian football team interview

The Iranian national team lost in the World Cup qualifiers against the Lebanon. Now the Association is facing a crisis that is shaking the World Cup in Brazil. Helen spoke perennial with coach Carlos Queiroz why many Asian countries by the international level ever further away.

Helen perennial: Mr. Queiroz, linked the Iran in the final round of World Cup qualifying. Surprisingly, they have lost the last match against the Lebanon as a clear favorite. But also the friendly against Jordan ended only 0-0. Where is the Iran of one of the Favorites in their group. What happened?

Carlos Queiroz: the game against the Lebanon was again as a game in which the stronger team on the place does not win. Unfortunately, that happens in football. If the coach complains in retrospect and appeals to things that are expired out of the game just journalists accuse one, you would only find excuses.

You play on at the press conference after the game when a journalist accused them to draw from their responsibilities. That you will see the error only when the other.

Yes, for him it looked well, as I would want to talk me out and look for excuse because we have lost. But the truth is that I have spoken to things to say the Asian football, finally to continue to evolve. I think the Asian Federation and particularly the FIFA must pay more attention to simple many things and there is worry about, especially when it comes to international competition.

What do you mean exactly?

The first are the places. The lawns are a huge problem in Asian football, especially in the West Asian region. I'm not talking about Qatar or Saudi Arabia. You have good seats. What is missing however, is the passion. In Iran, Jordan or the Lebanon, people have an incredible passion for the game, they love football. See, the Lebanese have won due to their strong fighting will. But they have play no reasonable lawns for soccer. The playing conditions in the Lebanon were disastrous. I really cannot understand why FIFA has allowed to play so important to lawns. 35 Minutes from here in Saida, they have a good stadium. Shortly before the friendly against Australia took place there. A friendly so held at the best place in the country. And qualifying for a World Championship takes place on a so bad place. I can not understand such a decision. Everyone knew the problem of lawn for over two weeks. The FIFA Committee after Beirut came 24 hours before the match but in the end it does not interest them.


You said there are many things that FIFA and the Association you want to change. What must change further?

The second important point that actually takes precedence, is the false notion of Fair Play. There are too many actors, too many Liars in the Football League. I saw that again in the Lebanon. The Lebanese interrupted the game in the second half every three to four minutes. And the referee can make it with them. But the rules in football are quite clear. The referee suspends a game and not the player. And the referee didn't punish such players with a yellow card, then the Asian Football anywhere goes out. When it comes to real international parties namely, the referee whistles down to something simple. The players are then not prepared, can't keep up with.

And this is a common problem in the Asian Football?

Yes, of course! I speak especially of the Iran, finally I work there and see the problems every day. It is the same in the League. In many Asian leagues, the game is interrupted every few minutes. At the end, they destroy the football with all these lies. Who can but does not think that football is larger and important, just because you have a few beautiful stadiums in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. It only grows when working on the youth, if you put money in places, good coaches and good, functioning competitions and leagues. In my opinion it away more and more from international football but every day. It brings nothing to pump millions into a single stadium where big tournaments are held. And during the week, the players from the leagues have no places to train properly. However, the system may not work.

You were coach of the Iranian national team 2011 to once again lead the Iran since 2006 to a World Championship. Is the pressure on the players and it too big may be? Loses the team simply because of this?

No, I don't think. Of course, the pressure is huge, the Iranians love football. You can not imagine that, the passion is enormous. I have something really never seen. But the pressure is not the reason that we lost the last games. The main reason why the Iranian Football League differs further from the international level, is that there are hardly any players who play in Europe. Six to eight years ago there were many players in Europe, Bayern Munich, for example. The conditions in the country have changed in the last years, however. The agenda of Iran was to keep their players in the country. There were suddenly good salaries. For European clubs, to a certain extent, it was no longer possible to entice players to Europe. This among other things caused that players in the Iran remain. But this is wrong. It is our biggest problem, which the players have no international experience.

Mr Queiroz, they were previously coach of Portugal, Manchester United and Real Madrid. Their working conditions are different in the Iran very much. You ever intend to stay until the World Cup in Brazil, or even longer?