ISP Interview with Mehdi Mahdavikia

Reza Ghazinouri: What do you think about your last match against Bayern? How did your team perform? Mehdi Mahdavikia [smiling]: Well, I did not play. Bayern was a much better team and deserved to win.

Reza Ghazinouri: How did you perform in the camp during the winter break?
Mehdi Mahdavikia: I have done well in our practices lately. I am doing my best. Currently the coaches are moving forward with other players, and I just have to be patient and wait for my chance.

Reza Ghazinouri: What do you see missing from your performance?
Mehdi Mahdavikia: There is no specific reason for not playing. It is getting rather embarrassing because everyone is getting an opportunity to play, and I do not. I do not see my performance as the reason for not playing. There are other reasons unrelated to my performance for not playing in the team.
Reza Ghazinouri: So you are saying that your performance has not changed, and that the claims about you not playing well are unjustified.
Mehdi Mahdavikia: I have not missed any training sessions. I have participated in every session and done well. All I can say is that it is in the hands of the coach, and I can not think of any specific reasons for not being placed in the team.

Reza Ghazinouri: When Doll managed Hamburg’s second team, there was a young Iranian player named Amir Shapourzadeh. For instance, he did not get any playing time with the team either. What do you think about that?
Mehdi Mahdavikia [smiling]: I just have to deal with this situation and look ahead. It is no fun sitting on the bench, but I should not give up hope.

Reza Ghazinouri: I just talked to your manager Dietmar Beiersdorfer. He said the team will keep you till 2007, and hoped you will return [to form].
Mehdi Mahdavikia: In the last few games, the team has just given me 10 or 20 minutes of playing time. They have brought me into the game when we were behind and could probably not win the match. I haven't had the opportunity to prove to the critics that I am still the old Mehdi. We have to wait and see.

Reza Ghazinouri: So what are you going to do next? Are there any offers from other teams?
Mehdi Mahdavikia: I do not think about going to another team. I am just going to wait to get my chance. We will see how things go in the second half of the season, and then we are going to look into what to do next.

Reza Ghazinouri: Now, we all know that Fereydoon Zandi decided to play for the Iranian National team. What is your opinion about him?
Mehdi Mahdavikia: He is a good player. I think he may face some problems in the beginning because he has to understand our playing style, and adjust himself.

Reza Ghazinouri: What is the Iranian style/philosophy?
Mehdi Mahdavikia: He has never been with us. Our team has played together now for some time, but he does not know any of us. Our style of play is different. For example, he has no experience playing against Arab teams. Playing in Asia is different from playing in Europe. He will have to adjust himself to the roots of our football and our ways of communication. However, I am quite confident that he will adjust himself and succeed.

Reza Ghazinouri: What can a new young player learn from Fereydoon Zandi?
Mehdi Mahdavikia: Well, for example, he could establish himself in a league like the German Bundesliga, and prove his qualities. He [Zandi] has good technical skills and physical strength - which lacks among Iranian players- that will definitely benefits the National team.

Reza Ghazinouri: In the past, we have often seen that the National team lacks teamwork. Do you think Zandi can help us playing more as a team rather than relying on just individual performances.
Mehdi Mahdavikia: Mostly, I hope that Zandi can adjust and help us. As I said he is a good player. Players who are placed next to him should help him get integrated into the team.

Reza Ghazinouri: What do you think about the upcoming friendly game against Bosnia? Will it help us towards our first qualification game against Bahrain?
Mehdi Mahdavikia: This game will be a good warm up before our first game [against Bahrain]. Many Bosnian footballers are playing in Europe, particularly in Germany. I believe this game will give us some good experience before the Bahrain game.

Reza Ghazinouri: What do you think about our previous friendly game against Germany?
Mehdi Mahdavikia: It was a nice experience for many of us. We performed well, but one could see the big gap between Asian and European teams. We will have to do much better to compete against higher class teams.

Reza Ghazinouri: So for the upcoming qualification games, do you think the biggest threat is, once again, Bahrain?
Mehdi Mahdavikia: No, I do not think so. In the Asian Cup, We scored four goals against them despite being a man down. Our only problem is to adjust mentally because in the past we have sometimes failed under pressure. However, skills-wise, Bahrain is seriously not a problem.

Reza Ghazinouri: Your comment about Karimi as a best Asian player.
Mehdi Mahdavikia: No doubt Ali Karimi deserved to win this trophy. He should have been acknowledged as the tournament's best player during the Asia cup as well. We hope Karimi will come to play for a European team. I am proud that two Iranians in successive years.

Reza Ghazinouri: You have now played for many years in Germany. You know the quality needed for a player to succeed in Germany. Do you think a player like Karimi can succeed in Germany?
Mehdi Mahdavikia: 100 percent. He is a unique player with such strength. I believe that he is one of the best players in the world with impressive technical skills.

Reza Ghazinouri: In which league would a player like Karimi suit best? Italian, English, German, French or Spanish league?
Mehdi Mahdavikia: It is all his decision where to play. However, a player like might be very successful in leagues such as Spain because of his playing style.

Reza Ghazinouri: Thank you for giving us your time for this interview.
Mehdi Mahdavikia: Thank you, too.