TEHRAN - Head of Islamic Republic of Iran Volleyball Federation (IRIVF), Mohammadreza Davarzani, has said the head coach of Iran national football team will be appointed prior to start of the domestic league.

Iran national volleyball team are without a coach since parting company with Igor Kolakovic in in late March following cancelation of 2020 Olympic Games due to the pandemic coronavirus (COVID-19).

Now the head of the federation, in an interview with Radio Iran, has said that the new head coach will be named before the start of the Iran Super League in September.

“We are going to appoint the new head coach before the start of the competition since he has to monitor the games,” Davarzani said.

Iranian federation had already announced that it would weigh up finding the best possible coach – foreigner or Iranian - for the upcoming Olympics since that are going to finish the Games as a medal winner.

“The combination of an Iranian coach and a foreigner might be the best choice. We are discussing about which one to be named as head coach.”

Julio Velasco had been linked with a move to Iran but Davarzani has said that the Argentine has not accepted the offer to return to Iran.

“Velasco prefers to stay in Italy at the moment,” he added.

Iran debuted in 2016 Olympic Games where the Persians finished in fifth place behind Brazil, Italy, the U.S. and Russia.

In this edition, Iran want to make a splash and this is the reason why the federation is not in a hurry to choose the new head coach. The National Team have been drawn in Pool A along with Japan, Poland, Italy, Canada and Venezuela, while Pool B consists of Brazil, the U.S., Russia, Argentina, France, and Tunisia.