Amirhossein Sadeghi, the captain of Esteghlal, reacted to the rumor of Alireza Beiranvand joining the blue team during the youth derby between Esteghlal and Persepolis. He stated that if this goalkeeper joins Esteghlal, he will no longer support the team and took a somewhat harsh stance on this matter.
Sadeghi's reaction to Beiranvand's presence
When reporters asked Sadeghi about the reason for this harsh stance, Shahin Bayani, the captain of Esteghlal's last Asian championship, passed by him. Sadeghi pointed to Bayani and said, "In a team where he is present, Beiranvand should not step onto the field." This statement clearly reflects Sadeghi's sensitivity towards the history and identity of Esteghlal club.
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Bayani and his views on the derby and football issues
Shahin Bayani also reacted to Sadeghi's comments and said about yesterday's derby: "This derby was held on a good pitch and the conditions of both teams were the same. The difference in this game compared to previous matches was that our fans were also present in the stadium and cheered for the team." He emphasized that Esteghlal fans have a special sensitivity towards the derby, which led the Esteghlal youth team to strive to equalize the game.
Bayani further referred to the issue of Alireza Beiranvand's presence at Esteghlal and said: "I consider these talks to be somewhat peripheral to football and I think they do not benefit the advancement of our football. Discussing Beiranvand's arrival, youth development, and the Asian Cup seems to me to create more distractions than benefits."
The necessity of addressing main football issues
Bayani also emphasized that the main issues of football should currently be addressed. He stated: "You should ask the technical staff and future management of Esteghlal to give their opinion on Alireza Beiranvand's presence and whether he can help the team or not. This matter pertains to the next season, and it is better to focus on football issues now."
The former captain of Esteghlal further referred to the status of Iran's Olympic team and said: "The kids in Iran's Olympic team all play in the Premier League, and the fact that they failed in Nagoya and did not advance from the group is very bad for our football. Instead of focusing on these issues, we should find the reasons for football problems."
Challenges of Iran's football infrastructure
Bayani emphasized that the training fields for football in the country are usually artificial grass, which causes injuries for young players. He said: "As long as our infrastructure and stadiums are not improved, we cannot expect to have strong football in Asia. Right now, we cannot say we are the number one team in Asia."
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