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In tonight’s program of Behind the Headlines our guests, the former managing director of Taj Football Club, Parviz Sheikhan and Tofigh Momtaz the head of the club’s technical committee will tell us about the way this sport used to be in Iran before the 1979 revolution, and how it has changed under the current regime.
Parviz Sheikhan:
At the 1978 World Cup in Argentine we played against great teams like France, Yugoslavia and Hungary in friendly matches but under the current circumstances our players have done very good so far and Queiroz has put together a great team which won against Morocco, though it was an own goal.
All teams that reach the final stage of World Cup are great and no one can really predict which one of the will win. I only hope we would get into the next stage and if we win against Spain tonight our people will really be happy.
Tofigh Momtaz:
In 1978 we did not have the analyzing techniques of today to find out what kind of teams we were going to play against. I remember the former national coach Mr. Mohajerain and I had to mingle with the spectators to watch how the Kuwaitis were playing so we could go back and do our own game plan.
It is said that if we win against Spain tonight or draw with them we will join the last 16 teams. But our current national team is very different from the one back in 1978 and is a weak team in comparison with the pre-revolution team. If we play against Spain the way we did against Morocco we will concede a few goals.
Before the revolution we were the champions of four Asian Cups but since then we have not even reached the final in those games.
Football is not all about playing on the pitch. It requires a backstage managerial organization but in Iran of today they do not even use the experience of a great coach like Mohajerani and Quiroz has nine Portuguese assistants around him.
Jamshid Chalangi:
The regime has always tried to make it look that any success in Iranian football or other sports it due to its support and help.
Tofigh Momtaz:
When our teams win in any tournament the regime says Islam has won but if we lose they say Iran has lost!
Football in Iran is a business in the pockets of the commanders of the Revolutionary Guards and their cronies.
Parviz Sheikhan:
The late Shah of Iran was himself a sportsman and always supported the Iranian teams by attending the matches in stadiums and the Football Federation had a special and generous budget in the government planning.
Jamshid Chalangi:
Stay with us for this edition of Behind the Headlines and share it with your family and friends.
