Ali Tajernia, the acting CEO of Esteghlal Club, responded to rumors ahead of the match between Esteghlal and Tractor in a candid interview. He referred to the distractions that harm national football and emphasized that more attention should be paid to the essence of football.
Football distractions and sports ethics
Tajernia pointed out the problems that distractions have created for Iranian football, saying: "One of the serious problems of our football is that distractions have severely overshadowed the essence." He referred to a letter published a few days before the matches regarding Yaser Asani and considered it an example of unethical behavior in football. He added that such behaviors are only aimed at creating distractions and disrupting the focus of the rival team.
Read more: The nightmare of Kayalip; the Turkish star in pursuit of his sixth world gold
Tajernia also spoke about his experience in the city of Tabriz and his understanding of the people of Azerbaijan, emphasizing that Tractor is a club with authenticity. He referred to the hospitality culture of the people of Azerbaijan and expressed surprise at behaviors that do not align with this culture.
Explanations about Beiranvand and CEO selection
The acting CEO of Esteghlal continued to address rumors regarding Alireza Beiranvand's presence in Esteghlal's locker room after the match, stating: "I explicitly announce that no negotiations have taken place with Mr. Beiranvand, nor on his part, so far." He emphasized that mentioning the national team goalkeeper in these matters only creates distractions.
Tajernia also provided explanations regarding the status of the CEO selection for the club, saying: "The new board of directors has almost been established, and the legal processes for selecting the CEO are underway." He pointed out that Mr. Motedin has been one of the previous CEO candidates and does not believe that the current board would have an issue with this selection.
Hazfi Cup and Esteghlal's status in Asia
The acting CEO of Esteghlal also discussed the club's proposal regarding the Hazfi Cup, stating: "Given the congestion of matches and upcoming schedules, holding the complete Hazfi Cup of the current season may face difficulties. We have proposed that the competitions from the previous season, in which eight teams remained, continue."
He continued: "To determine the champion among the eight teams, only seven matches are needed in total, and these competitions can be completed in a condensed period of about nine days." Tajernia also provided explanations regarding Esteghlal's match against Al-Gharafa in the Asian Elite League and expressed hope that the players would participate in these competitions with high motivation and focus.
He concluded by saying: "Esteghlal has the ability to provide quality football against teams that play football, and I am confident that our players will strive for a favorable result."
Read more: Morteza Fanonizadeh: Persepolis fights for the future with youth and championship in the Premier League · Fundamental changes in the coaching staff of the Iranian national football team
