It would be great and even greater would be to advance to second round but not winning a single game in WC would not take anything away from what he's done. He has built a team that is not afraid of any opponents in the world now. From Asian rivals such as Japan, KSA or Korea to world giants such as Brazil or Germany. Yes they can and in case of big teams most probably will beat us but will have to really sweat and work their asses off to do so. We're no longer the team to go in the tournament and be the decider on which one of the other three teams will advance from the group. Confidence and discipline is at all time high. Merci CQ!
Before anything with CQ and his footballing mastery we have to look at what is prior to that and what has made him and his way stand out. Before anything he is a master psychologist and philosopher that teaches football methodically and step by step and inch by inch. Literally. He is a man that does not miss the smallest of details and that’s why when anyone goes outside the plan gets furious. I love little details and will mention 3 things I saw from him yesterday that even made me realize this aspect of him game even more. Once the game ended and he picked up that world cup trophy in celebration the first person he gave it to was “Shojai”. He knew that his psyche was down and for that he wanted to have the captain be happy and feel lighter from what happened. A great attention to detail. When Ezzatollahi took that long distance shot while having JB open to his right CQ became furious and threw a bottle of water hard at the ground. That is because even though it may have looked like a good shot it was outside of the game plan. Even shots and from where they are taken is told by him and they do not have a freedom it seems to just shoot from anywhere. We did not see any shooting of just a shot. Lastly after the game and when he came to 90 he mentioned that he tells a simple thing to his players every game. And that is that this TM shirt you are wearing has to be elevated a little more by every game. And lifted his jersey that showed 4 on it for being 1 of 2 coaches ever to go to the WC with 4 different teams while qualifying them as a head coach. This attention to detail and crazy discipline that is brought to the table when confined with the Iranian talents and skills can be deadly. At this time we should definitely AIM to go to the second round of the WC. Even with 3 draws. I think that is what matters the most.
In all fairness Iran from the end of the first half to the end of overtime was down a player. Then they came back twice in OT to draw the game at a 119th min. They lost cause Haghighi literally did not even jump towards the ball. Even prior to that game Iran had great defense in every game going to the WC and even before but it was on a path of transforming and learning. The physical aspect of the game is the most important and if Iran is to stand a real chance at the WC they players need to physically really step it up again like during the WC with very intense training to actually be able to perform in that level.
I think Iraq game was different, playing over 90 minutes with being a men down, and coming back twice is not easy, yes Iraq wasn't Japan but as far as i remember we never beat them with more than '' one goal difference'' so Iraq always give it all against us.
But overall you have a point, that is something the coach needs to work on it, we saw that against Bosnia as well.
But overall you have a point, that is something the coach needs to work on it, we saw that against Bosnia as well.
What is good about this team is many key players now or in future are still VERY YOUNG:
Beiranvand 24
Milad Mohammadi 23
Poualiganji 25
Ezzatollahi 20
Ali Karimi 23
Torabi 22
Jahanbakhsh 23
Azmoun 22
Taremi 24
add to that Rezaeian, Hanjafi, Ansarifard(all 27).
The only concern is soon to find replacements for Seyed Jalal and Masoud.
Beiranvand 24
Milad Mohammadi 23
Poualiganji 25
Ezzatollahi 20
Ali Karimi 23
Torabi 22
Jahanbakhsh 23
Azmoun 22
Taremi 24
add to that Rezaeian, Hanjafi, Ansarifard(all 27).
The only concern is soon to find replacements for Seyed Jalal and Masoud.
well 1972 is more like stone age than being recent 
. We didn't beat them in an official match with more than 1 goal in last 30 years as far as i remember, someone can correct me though.
. We didn't beat them in an official match with more than 1 goal in last 30 years as far as i remember, someone can correct me though.
مهبد جان،در سال ۲۰۰۶،در الجی کاپ تیم ملی*** ایران با دو گکل رضایی و رجب***زاده که در دقیقه هفتاد زده شد ۲-۰ عراق را شکست دادیم.از اون ببعد ،بازیها یا ۲-۱ شده یا ۱-۰ یا مساوی،یعنی*** اختلاف حداکثر ۱ گکل.
Seems like CQ read Mahdi's article LOLL!!!
Carlos Queiroz insists that Iran ‘will not go to Russia as tourists’
(IranSportsPress.com-espnfc.com)- Carlos Queiroz has been making history this week with Iran, and he wants to do so again next summer.
On June 12, Team Melli, as the national team is known, qualified for the World Cup — the first time they’ll be in back-to-back competitions — and now their sights are set on a debut appearance in the knockout stages.
Not long before midnight at the iconic Azadi Stadium in Tehran, the Mozambique-born manager was thrown into the air by his squad of Iranian players after they had defeated Uzbekistan 2-0. It was in recognition of a perfect World Cup qualification campaign and their being second only to Brazil in booking a berth in Russia.
“The atmosphere and excitement of the fans were great. They deserve this,” Queiroz told ESPN FC.
Iran deserves it too and have been dominant in the third round of qualification, doing the job with two of the ten games still to play. Not only are Iran unbeaten, but not once has the defence been breached. Perhaps most impressive was that all knew a win at home to Uzbekistan would be enough for a ticket to Russia, and all expected exactly that would happen. This is a team that delivers.
“We tried not to think about the World Cup, not to play two games in the same game,” said Queiroz who was appointed in 2011. “We just wanted to focus on Uzbekistan, just win the game and collect the points. No doubt we were the best team on the pitch and fortunately, we won. Someone needs to win in football, and it was us.”
After four years in which Iran was Asia’s highest-ranked team according to FIFA, few would argue that this team is the best on the pitch, the only one of any of the traditional continental powerhouses to shine consistently in qualification.
Despite that, Queiroz believes Iran still has work to do.
“I think that, honestly, there are two competitions in Asia,” said the former Real Madrid and Portugal boss. “The stats and the real competition. From a data point of view, the numbers show that we are the No. 1 and there is no doubt about that. We did not concede one goal, did not lose and qualified with two games left.
“But overall, we are far away from the international level. In that sense, I believe that South Korea and Japan are one step ahead of us. They have more experience and football closer to European standards. This is the gap we need to close during our preparation.”
Preparation is key. There is a year until it all starts. In the past, Iran has struggled to arrange training camps and friendlies, watching with envy as Asian rivals play all around the world.
“Not many [understand] as to the right amount of credit we deserve for this qualification,” he said. “It is hard to explain to the world our problems and that it is hard to find a place to train or teams to play.”
Queiroz has had numerous run-ins with bosses at the Iranian Football Federation and various clubs in his six years in the position. Now he wants total support in the 12 months leading to Russia.
“I will try to make a statement similar to a famous statement made by a famous old and great President: The question is not what Team Melli can do for Iran, but what Iran can do for Team Melli.
“In order to progress, we need better infrastructure and financial support for camps and friendly games.If we don’t do that, the result will be stagnation. This is not the expectation for Iran fans and not what they deserve.
“It is time to say that the national team has been doing everything for Iranian football, now it is time for the authorities to step up. The passion is there and we need to implement a different program in order for different players to progress. In Portugal, we were producing good players 26 or 30 years ago, but in Portugal, we did not sleep and kept producing players. This is what Iran misses — a master plan with an infrastructure and individual support.”
If all goes well, the next stage of the plan is within reach. Iran has appeared in four World Cups but has yet to survive the group stage.
Iran performed well in 2014, but this is a different team now — more cosmopolitan, confident and consistent. Young stars like striker Sardar Azmoun and midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi are already in Russia but ready to make the jump to the big leagues and expand further the country’s growing pool of players who are active and impressing in Europe.
“We have built a team and a squad of 26 and more players and I have more options,” he said. “I have three goalkeepers, three right-backs and so on. At the next World Cup, I can rest people and keep them fresh for the games while keeping the same standard.
“This is due to our players being brilliant. I have never seen in my life players who made such sacrifices.”
Now is not the time to stop.
“My goal and dream are to get to the knockout stage at the 2018 World Cup. I am fighting against this satisfaction disease. We should not be satisfied with the first round. We need to be ambitious. We need to think big. We will not go to Russia as tourists.”
BY JOHN DUERDEN
http://iransportspress.com/carlos-queiroz-insists-that-iran-will-not-go-to-russia-as-tourists/
Carlos Queiroz insists that Iran ‘will not go to Russia as tourists’
(IranSportsPress.com-espnfc.com)- Carlos Queiroz has been making history this week with Iran, and he wants to do so again next summer.
On June 12, Team Melli, as the national team is known, qualified for the World Cup — the first time they’ll be in back-to-back competitions — and now their sights are set on a debut appearance in the knockout stages.
Not long before midnight at the iconic Azadi Stadium in Tehran, the Mozambique-born manager was thrown into the air by his squad of Iranian players after they had defeated Uzbekistan 2-0. It was in recognition of a perfect World Cup qualification campaign and their being second only to Brazil in booking a berth in Russia.
“The atmosphere and excitement of the fans were great. They deserve this,” Queiroz told ESPN FC.
Iran deserves it too and have been dominant in the third round of qualification, doing the job with two of the ten games still to play. Not only are Iran unbeaten, but not once has the defence been breached. Perhaps most impressive was that all knew a win at home to Uzbekistan would be enough for a ticket to Russia, and all expected exactly that would happen. This is a team that delivers.
“We tried not to think about the World Cup, not to play two games in the same game,” said Queiroz who was appointed in 2011. “We just wanted to focus on Uzbekistan, just win the game and collect the points. No doubt we were the best team on the pitch and fortunately, we won. Someone needs to win in football, and it was us.”
After four years in which Iran was Asia’s highest-ranked team according to FIFA, few would argue that this team is the best on the pitch, the only one of any of the traditional continental powerhouses to shine consistently in qualification.
Despite that, Queiroz believes Iran still has work to do.
“I think that, honestly, there are two competitions in Asia,” said the former Real Madrid and Portugal boss. “The stats and the real competition. From a data point of view, the numbers show that we are the No. 1 and there is no doubt about that. We did not concede one goal, did not lose and qualified with two games left.
“But overall, we are far away from the international level. In that sense, I believe that South Korea and Japan are one step ahead of us. They have more experience and football closer to European standards. This is the gap we need to close during our preparation.”
Preparation is key. There is a year until it all starts. In the past, Iran has struggled to arrange training camps and friendlies, watching with envy as Asian rivals play all around the world.
“Not many [understand] as to the right amount of credit we deserve for this qualification,” he said. “It is hard to explain to the world our problems and that it is hard to find a place to train or teams to play.”
Queiroz has had numerous run-ins with bosses at the Iranian Football Federation and various clubs in his six years in the position. Now he wants total support in the 12 months leading to Russia.
“I will try to make a statement similar to a famous statement made by a famous old and great President: The question is not what Team Melli can do for Iran, but what Iran can do for Team Melli.
“In order to progress, we need better infrastructure and financial support for camps and friendly games.If we don’t do that, the result will be stagnation. This is not the expectation for Iran fans and not what they deserve.
“It is time to say that the national team has been doing everything for Iranian football, now it is time for the authorities to step up. The passion is there and we need to implement a different program in order for different players to progress. In Portugal, we were producing good players 26 or 30 years ago, but in Portugal, we did not sleep and kept producing players. This is what Iran misses — a master plan with an infrastructure and individual support.”
If all goes well, the next stage of the plan is within reach. Iran has appeared in four World Cups but has yet to survive the group stage.
Iran performed well in 2014, but this is a different team now — more cosmopolitan, confident and consistent. Young stars like striker Sardar Azmoun and midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi are already in Russia but ready to make the jump to the big leagues and expand further the country’s growing pool of players who are active and impressing in Europe.
“We have built a team and a squad of 26 and more players and I have more options,” he said. “I have three goalkeepers, three right-backs and so on. At the next World Cup, I can rest people and keep them fresh for the games while keeping the same standard.
“This is due to our players being brilliant. I have never seen in my life players who made such sacrifices.”
Now is not the time to stop.
“My goal and dream are to get to the knockout stage at the 2018 World Cup. I am fighting against this satisfaction disease. We should not be satisfied with the first round. We need to be ambitious. We need to think big. We will not go to Russia as tourists.”
BY JOHN DUERDEN
http://iransportspress.com/carlos-queiroz-insists-that-iran-will-not-go-to-russia-as-tourists/
Guys its very good to have a very young team and we do have that. But at the same time very important to have leaders on the pitch that the youngsters can look up to. Hosseini, Shojai, Dejagah provide that to the team. CQ knows this and for it we need some older more experienced players. Shojai did mess up at times and missed a PK but overall he is a game changer. CQ knows this. For that he has a lot of faith in him. Coaches do coaching and he knows his job better than anyone and by using Shojai. I support his decisions 100% regardless of who he brings and who he crosses out.
CQ: "Ask not what Team Melli can do for Iran. Ask what Iran can do for Team Melli."
Very nice article about CQ and Iran after booking the WC ticket
http://www.espnfc.com/team/iran/469...s-that-iran-will-not-go-to-russia-as-tourists
Very nice article about CQ and Iran after booking the WC ticket
http://www.espnfc.com/team/iran/469...s-that-iran-will-not-go-to-russia-as-tourists