ISP Editorial: Ghotbi’s new list is old

Iran coach Afshin Ghotbi has made it clear that it’s no time for experimenting with new players. Any more loss of points at this stage could cause huge headache for Ghotbi who will be reminded of the fact that Iran has participated in every single Asian Cup since it was the host and the winner in 1968.

Ghotbi inviting Ansarifard and Feshangchi is pure populism to balance up against the otherwise old and boring list. Both are great prospects for the future and could fit in very well in a different future Iran team. Ghotbi is likely though to keep them on the bench for the upcoming qualification games. Ghotbi inviting Farhad Majidi is close to a provocation. Majidi who made his national team debut in the same year as Mahdavikia (1996) played his last match for “Team Melli” for almost exactly 37 months ago. Majidi (striker) and Beikzadeh (left-back) continue to illustrate the never-ending nightmare in “Team Melli”.

With two back-to-back wins Iran could possibly seal the qualification place and have more than a whole year to prepare for it. Ghotbi could try to find a new identity for the team and take Iranian football into the future.

4-6-0 is the future for Iran (and even the likes of Japan and South Korea). Mehrdad Oladi was a street-player in Persepolis but in Al Shabab he matured into the professional player Ziganda wanted to sign for Xerez. Feshangchi was similar to Oladi a street-player until Saba coach Ziaei played him on the right. All of a sudden the left-footer matured into a modern player who could develop into a future regular for the national team. Add the likes of Masoud Shojaei and Khalatbari and you have found a new identity for the national team. You have found four attacking players who could be constantly switching places with each other and build the most dynamic and modern Iranian team. Oladi and Shojaei are two unique players who could master to play at all four of the attacking spots.

Iranian football (club and country) is at crossroads…