No foreign coach for time being, says Iran football chief

TEHRAN (EARTHtimes.org) -- Iran will not employ a foreign coach for the time being, Iranian Football Federation (IFF) president Ali Kafashian said on Wednesday. Kafashian told ISNA news agency that due to shortage of time, Iran would hire a local trainer as head coach for the national football team until the end of the first round of the World qualification games in September this year.

If Iran was qualified for the second round, then the IFF would consider hiring a foreign coach, Kafashian added.

Iran was on the verge of hiring Javier Clemente, but the Spanish coach rejected the job on Monday after Iran had insisted that he would have to live permanently in the country during his term.

The local sports media speculated that local favorites included Afshin Qotbi, coach of local league leader Persepolis Tehran, and former national team captain Ali Daei, who last year won the league title with outsiders Saipa Tehran in his first year as coach.

Other candidates are said to be former national team coach Amir Qalehnoei and Rah Ahan Tehran coach Akbar Missaqian.

Iran, the only Asian side without a head coach, began their World Cup qualification game with a disappointing goalless draw against Syria on February 6 in Tehran. The second game will be against Kuwait next month.

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