Soccer-Iran coaching turmoil continues

Reuters: Iran remain without a head coach after the head of the country’s football federation said the leading candidate lacked the “proper conditions”. TEHRAN, Jan 12 (Reuters) – Iran remain without a head coach after the head of the country’s football federation said the leading candidate lacked the “proper conditions”.

IRNA news agency reported on Jan. 2 that Iran’s Football Federation’s Transitional Committee had chosen Portuguese coaching veteran Artur Jorge.

But the president of Iran’s Football Federation (FFI), Ali Kafashian, who has to approve the committee’s decision, said Jorge did not meet the criteria.

“Jorge does not have proper conditions to lead the national team for the World Cup and bring us victory,” Kafashian, who was approved by the FFI last Wednesday as its new president, was quoted by state television as saying.

Iran have been without a coach since the departure of Amir Ghalenoei after they were knocked out of the Asian Cup quarter-finals by South Korea in July last year.

Jorge has coached national teams of Portugal, Switzerland and Cameroon.

Iran are in the same World Cup qualifying group as Kuwait, Syria and United Arab Emirates. (Writing by Parisa Hafezi, Editing by Peter Rutherford)