Call ER

When the last episode of a Soap Opera series stars only one actor,it is not too hard to figure out the ending of the finale, is it? Same was the case with IFF Election which, in contrary to popular demand by football fans to end it quickly, developing IFF constitution and setting up IFF Election took more than 19 months. Even if Shahnazi wouldnt shockingly opt out of election race for Kafashian less than 12 hrs before election date, the election of either of Kafashian or Shahnazi would make no difference in the future state of our football, since its the Godfather,Aliabadi, who actually decides upon the fate of our ill football. After all Kafashian is still reporting to Aliabadi as head of Olympic committee.

FIFA would indeed be very naive to assume Iranian football is finally independent of government interference. Only a week prior to Jan 9th Election, ISNA reported Ghamkhar and Dadkan's meeting with President Ahmadinejad's brother, "to discuss the suggestions and proposals about the future of Iranian football and her management." Ghamkhar also notified “the results of this meeting to be implemented in the future and these proposals will be all based on the football constitution."

So as simple as that,a meeting with president's brother, who supposedly and based on FIFA rule should not interfere in Iran's football state, can change IFF constitution which was developed,negotiated and approved in detail by Transitory Board in the last 19 months.

But the problem isn't just that. Less than a month before Iran's first World Cup 2010 qualifier game kick off against Syria, Iran football National team is yet to know its head coach. 5 months after Amir Ghalenoie's disappointing performance at the helm of Iranian team in Asian Cup 2007 campaign, Iran Transitory Board failed to appoint his successor. Safaei Farahani having the luxury of a large connection among world football coaches started his negotiations with several coaches as of September,however certain Transitory Board members consistently opposed any of the coach selections,delayed the process until Farahani announced that the new IFF President will appoint the head coach. This doubtlessly took a massive weight off Farahani's shoulders, but he should certainly be blamed for Iran not having a head coach by now only a one month before World Cup qualifiers and several friendlies lined-up in the meanwhile.

At the time, Farahani had the power to appoint a semi-decent foreign coach for Iranian team and then leave it to the new IFF president to manage the rest of the World Cup campaign. Inevitably the new IFF president would not be able to so easily sack the recently appointed foreign coach upon his arrival at the office. Farahani's delays are well taken advantage of as we speak, when today Kafashian ruled out appointing Portugeese Arthur Jorge, eventhough he was close to be signed by Transitory Board just a week ago. Other official reports today indicate IFF's negotiations with Amir Ghalenoie despite his very recent poor record with Iranian team. One may not blame Kafashian as his interest for an old school Iranian coach is a well known fact. Same goes with AliAbadi,Ghamkhar, Hashemi and Reghbati all well known faces in Iranian football. But one thing is absolutely inexcusable by the new IFF President and that is further time wasting and overlooking the options in sealing a deal with a respectable head coach for Iran National team. More than a team of world football coaches have already been negotiated with, only waiting for the new IFF President to authorize to seal the deal with the best option.

Safaei Farahani has to also be blamed as the head of Transitory Board for all the delays taking place developing IFF constitution,allowing initial participation of AliAbadi in IFF Election without notifying FIFA about his government position, skipping another round of IFF Election candidacy registration after Aliabadi's resignation, and more importantly postponing Transitory Board's coaching appointment task to IFF's new president.

If morality and care for our football was said to be a priority for Transitory Board members, one seriously questions their lack of time management to take advantage of the power given to them by FIFA to set things right once and for all in our football. In fact, given the full knowledge of Farahani from government-dependent nature of IFF candidates, he could well avoid IFF Election repetition by revealing AliAbadi’s government role to FIFA, instead of changing the constitution and covering for him. More communication with FIFA who trusted Farahani in Iran’s internal football affairs, was clearly lacking in the last 19 months, hence leaving our football in state of uncertainty again.

Sadly even the 'good cop' of our football couldn't help our football,so its not too hard to guess what the 'bad cop' does starting with our National team. Lets just hope the Finale of our football state as the whole doesn’t have the same destiny as of "ER"'s dead patient. Although very likely when our football ER is long without a doctor.