Editorial: Daei’s magic touch

For months Iran was without a national team coaching staff. When the time was out and Iran still didn’t have any coach I thought Ghotbi would have been the better pick due to his past experiences though Daei has proved me and everyone else wrong, at least so far. To be honest, Daei has had a touch of magic!

Ebrahimzadeh used more or less the same team as Ghalenoei had used in the 2007 Asian Cup. Ghalenoei although trying and even once having seven out of eleven starters from Esteghlal Tehran also was unable to develop the national team from the past. Though I won’t blame Ebrahimzadeh for not changing anything around because I would probably have done the same and who wouldn’t? I had in an article prior to the Syria game suggested that Ebrahimzadeh should take the easy road and not build a new team from scratch without having had any preparations. Ebrahimzadeh did that but what he had not done was his homework on Syria and therefore he failed big time in what was his first and maybe last chance as the head coach of the Iranian national team.

Though one who wouldn’t and didn’t take the easy road despite the absence of preparations is Ali Daei. He chose to take a different and much more difficult road. Daei has introduced a lot of new and inexperienced players to "Team Melli". Daei has also introduced a new way of playing and all this had to work out just brilliantly without any real preparations. Daei took a big gamble and jeopardized his future coaching carrier in his native country and he even said that himself in an interview.

In Daei’s first and Iran’s second 2010 World Cup qualifying game away to Kuwait an out of shape and what was claimed to be a "fat" Vahedi was to play lone striker. Never before had Vahedi played lone striker in the Iran jersey and I thought that after this game Vahedi would never again play in this role. Only Ghotbi had previously used Vahedi in this role during the ongoing season though none of them in such a big "arena".

It took Vahedi a few seconds and the commentator not enough time to read the line-ups before an out of shape Vahedi had scored one of the most spectacular goals ever scored in the "Team Melli" jersey. While all supporters were busy celebrating the shocking 1-0 goal Jalal Hosseini who assisted the first goal now scored another stunning goal that almost choked the Kuwaiti fans that had yet had time to take their seats. It didn’t even take a handful of minutes for Vahedi to justify his surprising start and it didn’t even take a handful of minutes for Daei’s magic to do wonders.

After the 2-0 lead Daei’s magic faded away and so did a fatigued Vahedi as Iran started to defend its big lead. 85 minutes later Iran was going back home with a disappointing draw but more importantly was going back home being still alive in the competition. In the next game at home to UAE Ali Daei was to make his first major mistakes as he was out mastered by the much more experienced Bruno Metsu. Metsu was happy to go back home with a goalless draw to there kick out Iran from the 2010 World Cup in the killing heat of Al Ain. Iran now was forced to get four points from the two away games to Syria and UAE and win it’s last game at home to Kuwait.

In the desert hot Al Ain a new "Team Melli" would face a major uphill against a very strong and confidant home side with a brilliant home record. Metsu who brought the country glory for the first time ever in the Persian Gulf Cup in 2007 was so confidant that he now changed the 4-5-1 from the previous week to a more attacking 4-4-2 with both Matar and Khalil from start.

Though Ali Daei who scored that brilliant and vital set piece goal in Al Ain against UAE in 2001 by now and after only four games and two months in charge had shaped his "Team Melli". Mohsen Khalili, Gholamreza Rezaei, Ebrahim Sadeghi and Massoud Shojaei all new faces to the national team all played from start in the crucial qualifier. Zandi who had not been heard or talked about in Iranian football for almost a year now suddenly was given a chance to play from start. Shojaei and Zandi partnered up after only eight minutes to score a mighty important 1-0 goal. Iran didn’t play well in either half but when the final whistle was heard, tears of relief were seen in the eyes of the young Iranian team. Zandi was unable to deal with the hot weather and except for two or three scenes he had a poor game. Teenager Hajsafi who started the game a week before and got subbed out 37 minutes into the game now played from minute 73 and on and helped Iran keep their slim lead. Ebrahim Sadeghi replaced a suspended Andranik Teymorian and although he didn’t shine he certainly contributed to the three points. The Persian Gulf Cup top scorer Mohsen Khalili was nowhere to be seen in the game but yet again played from start in the next week away to a Syria who was on the verge of grabbing Iran’s spot in the next round.

Khalili but also Sadeghi played from start yet again as Daei chose to bench star player Andranik and instead play the Saipa player Sadeghi. Gholamreza Rezaei who just recently had been introduced to the national team by Ali Daei now played his fourth consecutive game from start. Rezaei who had showed great fighting spirit up to now but yet struggled to convince that he should play instead of Karimi, Mahdavikia, Mobali, Madanchi, Jabbari and a few others had his turning point right here in Damascus as he single-handedly broke the deadlock. Sadeghi although once again having a quiet game and at times even struggling assisted the Iran goal and arguably justified his position in the team on the day. Daei subbed in Andranik in the dying minutes and he set up Khalili to score his first international goal as Iran could celebrate its win and its spot among the ten in the next round.

Daei’s magic was yet seen and once again almost all he’s decision somehow turned into gold. The decision to start Sadeghi over Andranik and later sub in "Ando" as well as keeping faith in Rezaei and Khalili were decisions no other coach would have done but Daei. Zandi was another player that Daei kept faith in and although he had another weak game Iran won the battle in Damascus and even Zandi contributed to the victory.

With a few days to go Daei has some major decisions to take as all teams start on zero and all teams aim for South Africa 2010. It seems Daei has not ended to his row of controversial decisions but we are to see more unique decisions made by Daei that most likely no other "Team Melli" coach would do if they would be in his shoes. Though so far so good for Iran and Daei but can they keep the magic going?