Amir Ghalenooi, the head coach of the Iranian national football team, during an interview held today, Tuesday, examined the current status of the national team and the reasons for the non-invitation of some players. One of the important topics raised in this interview was the non-invitation of Mehdi Qayedi to the national team, which some attributed to his comments about his coaches.
Qayedi's Invitation and Technical Issues
Ghalenooi rejected this claim, saying: "There is a discussion about why Mehdi Qayedi has not been invited to the national team, and some believe that because he stated in a program that his best coaches were Farhad Majidi and Stramaccioni, I was upset about this and did not invite him. However, the issue of inviting players is technical."
He also compared Qayedi's situation in Esteghlal and Ittihad Kalba, emphasizing: "Esteghlal is a big team, and in terms of football standing, it cannot be compared to Ittihad Kalba. We have principles and frameworks, and adhering to these principles influences decision-making."
Reviewing Players' Conditions
The head coach of the Iranian national football team pointed out the importance of players' physical and technical readiness, stating: "We need to see what condition Mehdi Qayedi is currently in and whether he is a regular player for his team or not. The technical condition of the player is very important, and alongside that, his physical condition and readiness are also assessed."
He further noted the injury of Roozbeh Cheshmi, mentioning that if he had not been injured in the World Cup, the national team's problems might have been less. Ghalenooi also referred to the conditions of Shoja Khalilzadeh and Ramin Rezaeian, saying: "Shoja and Ramin were in very good condition."
Non-invitation of Other Players
The national team coach provided explanations regarding the non-invitation of players such as Mohammad Hossein Kanaanizadegan and Ali Alipour, adding: "Not every player who has participated in previous camps is invited to all subsequent camps. Sometimes it is necessary to give opportunities to other players based on their performance."
Continuing, Ghalenooi addressed the reason for the non-invitation of Mohammad Khodabandehlou, stating: "In the national team, apart from the goalkeeper, we have more flexibility in many positions, except for center-back and to some extent defensive midfielder."
Expectations from the National Team
He also criticized the unreasonable expectations from the national team, saying: "Expectations should be shaped based on conditions. When the international outlook on Iranian football was much better, multiple camps and significant facilities were provided to the national team."
Ghalenooi emphasized that producing players is a duty that clubs and youth teams must play a serious role in, stating: "If clubs and youth teams do not produce players, where should the national team source its players from?"
