Naser Hejazi Memories

[soniq]

I feel like its appropriate to have a thread on him in the Esteghlal forums.

Please share your best memories of his playing/coaching carier or any personal encounters you had with him.

I'm too young to have seen him playing but my dad always said he was an exceptional goalkeeper.

Non Esteghlal fans please do share as well.

[Ali Chicago]

I saw Nasser Khan when I tried out for the Dayheem (youth program) in Nezam Abade Eastern Tehran. Nasser khan, at the time wasn't in good term with Taj club and left for Shahbaz with couple of other former Taj players. But he came to the Dayheem and was running the youth program. Those days, football atmosphere wasn't good. Coaches were swearing and insulting players (their way of motivating the players I guess) a lot. Nasser khan was an exception then. He was very tough, I remember he focused on fitness a lot and at that time expected us to play a high pressure game even then (to start defense from the forward line). This is 1976-77. He was a class act from get go. Those who played football in Iran at that time can probably corroborate how foul language was wide spread among players and coaches, probably still is. But Nasser Khan and Mr. Khodad in Homa were the two exceptions I saw.

I used to be in the Homa youth program which was in the West Tehran . Esetghlal was called Taj had quite a few satellite teams, Dayheem, Afsar in different areas of Tehran. Since I was a blue fan, I was dying to get into then Taj youth program. I used to live in Western Tehran close the Shahyad (now called Azadi) Square, so Homa was the logical choice since it was very close to me.

I went for tryouts to Dayheem to see if I can get in. Dayheem is in Eastern Tehran (at the time it was called Maydane Shahnaz I think, now it is Imam Hossein I think). Mr. Kordnoori was running the youth program across Taj and its affiliates I think.

Mr. Hejazi ran us a lot, we all were dying I recall. I never forget how excited I was when I realized he will be the coach who makes the cuts. It was a 2 hour bus ride each way from my house to Dayheem club, but despite having a starter position in Homa, I was willing to do the four hour trip in order to be coached by Nasser Khan.

[Adesor Vafaseya]

I saw him in dec 2009 at Vienna Airport, when I was on my way to move to Hong Kong... I was literraly few meters away from him and I could hear his voice... unfortunately for regretable reasons I didn't go to talk to him (I deeply regret it today)... that I didn't shake hand with him or thanked him for what he has done for Iran...

few days later after I arrived to Hong Kong I found out he was on his way to Iran for treatment.... and now he is gone :( :( :(

May he rest in peace.... I am deeply saddened :(

[Farshad43]

Having watched him play many many times in Amjadieh (Shiroodi) and Azadi, I have a lot of fabulous memories.His incredibly quick reflections on close range shots, his leadership on and off the field, his quick thinking and long throws when restarting the play and many more. But my best memories with Nasser khan goes back to some 40 years ago, where a young Nasser Hejazi saved an incredible penalty from a North Korean player which almost looked impossible to save. Iran ended up winning that match 2-1 and I as a young boy noticed the admiration in people's eyes. A new superstar had been born in our football.

PS, I'm writing these notes with watery eyes. I just can't get over the sorrow of losing such legend - a true people's champion.

[zzgloo]

I saw Nasser Khan when I tried out for the Dayheem (youth program) in Nezam Abade Eastern Tehran. Nasser khan, at the time wasn't in good term with Taj club and left for Shahbaz with couple of other former Taj players. But he came to the Dayheem and was running the youth program. Those days, football atmosphere wasn't good. Coaches were swearing and insulting players (their way of motivating the players I guess) a lot. Nasser khan was an exception then. He was very tough, I remember he focused on fitness a lot and at that time expected us to play a high pressure game even then (to start defense from the forward line). This is 1976-77. He was a class act from get go. Those who played football in Iran at that time can probably corroborate how foul language was wide spread among players and coaches, probably still is. But Nasser Khan besides Mr. Khodad in Homa were the two exceptions I saw.
I used to be in the Homa youth program which was in the West Tehran . Esetghlal was called Taj had quite a few satellite teams, Dayheem, Afsar in different areas of Tehran. Since I was a blue fan, I was dying to get into then Taj youth program. I used to live in Western Tehran close the Shahyad (now called Azadi) Square, so Homa was the logical choice since it was very close to me.
I went for tryouts to Dayheem to see if I can get in. Dayheem is in Eastern Tehran (at the time it was called Maydane Shahnaz I think, now it is Imam Hossein I think). Mr. Kordnoori was running the youth program across Taj and its affiliates I think.
Mr. Hejazi ran us a lot, we all were dying I recall. I never forget how excited I was when I realized he will be the coach who makes the cuts. It was a 2 hour bus ride each way from my house to Dayheem club, but despite having a starter position in Homa, I was willing to do the four hour trip in order to be coached by Nasser Khan.
Ali Jaan......God Bless you...and God Bless Nasser Hejazi.....
I have had similar back ground ......as I used live also in western tehran....upper Taj avenue ( Satar Khan ).....in " Daryan e No "......and I along three of my fellow neighborhood freinds used to play for " Tehran javan ".....under Hossain Fekri.........we mostly played in a field used to be called " Sport Villa "......
Although I was Taj fan, but never realy got to meet personalities such as nasser hejazi, as he was in a higher class, and out of my league,..although we had several faimouse players in our nighborhood, such as Hafez tahooni ( goal keeper of rah-Ahan ), and javad Allahverdi.......
......
Nasser Hejazi, had always been a source of pride for our nighborhood taj fans.....to brag about with our perspolise fans in our nighborhood,......I remember, I used to immitate him, when I used to kick the ball.....he had a unique way of kicking, if you remember...he used to put the ball on the corner of Six yard Box, and then distance himself from the ball more than most other keepers, and then, when coming toward the ball to kick, after a couple of steps, he used to point the tip of his right shoe and tap the ground with it, as to make sure his foot is deep inside the shoe !!, and then kick the ball..........and I used to do just that, in his style !
God Bless him......as i still feel he set apart Taj fans..with his charactor...something that sets us apart from what Parvin was to perspolise........

[Ali Chicago]

Ali Jaan......God Bless you...and God Bless Nasser Hejazi.....
I have had similar back ground ......as I used live also in western tehran....upper Taj avenue ( Satar Khan ).....in " Daryan e No "......and I along three of my fellow neighborhood freinds used to play for " Tehran javan ".....under Hossain Fekri.........we mostly played in a field used to be called " Sport Villa "......
Although I was Taj fan, but never realy got to meet personalities such as nasser hejazi, as he was in a higher class, and out of my league,..although we had several faimouse players in our nighborhood, such as Hafez tahooni ( goal keeper of rah-Ahan ), and javad Allahverdi.......
......
Nasser Hejazi, had always been a source of pride for our nighborhood taj fans.....to brag about with our perspolise fans in our nighborhood,......I remember, I used to immitate him, when I used to kick the ball.....he had a unique way of kicking, if you remember...he used to put the ball on the corner of Six yard Box, and then distance himself from the ball more than most other keepers, and then, when coming toward the ball to kick, after a couple of steps, he used to point the tip of his right shoe and tap the ground with it, as to make sure his foot is deep inside the shoe !!, and then kick the ball..........and I used to do just that, in his style !
God Bless him......as i still feel he set apart Taj fans..with his charactor...something that sets us apart from what Parvin was to perspolise........


If I am not mistaken Hafez Tahooni played for the TM Javanan as well before joining Rah Ahan.
Hossein Fekri was another Iranian footballer that due to his political belief (Leftist ideology) never got what he deserved in Iranian football. Khoosravani hated him so much. Probably it all went back all the way to 1953 Coup and Mossadegh, Tudeh party the whole 9 yards.

[yashar_fasihnia]

unfortunately i never saw him play, but i remember him coaching us and taking us to the finals of ACL where we lost to jubilo iwata 2-1 in azadi.

we had one of the toughest groups with al ain, al hilal and some uzbek team i think and 2 teams qualified from each group.
we beat al hilal 2-1 with goals from majidi and din mohammadi. din mohammadi hit a long range shot which should have been cleared by their GK but he screwed up.
they dominated the game if im not mistaken. also they should have got a clear penalty but the referee saw the foul outside the box.

we beat al ain 1-0 with a header from ali reza akbarpour (one of my fav players of esteghlal) from a navazi corner.

with 6 points out of 2 games, we were in pole position to finish first in our group cos the uzbek team were the punch bag of that group. i think it was artesh pavlodar.
but in a surprise game, we lost to them and al ain beat al hilal and topped the group.

later nasser hejazi justified his loss by saying we lost on purpose, so we could play against dalian of china instead of jubilo iwata of japan cos iran plays better against china than japan. until today, i think he was making an excuse, but it happened that we beat dalin 4-3 in extra time and junilo beat al ain.
we met jubilo in finals and we lost 2-1, again a long range shot by din mohammadi.
navazi also cleared the ball off our goal line. they were the better team and deserved to win.

i remember while we were reciving our silver medals, fred malekian was crying like hell. for a minute, i thought this guy is really "mohtaj" and has financial problems and needed the prize money :rofl:

to this day, i think that if hejazi had continued to use booroomand in our final game rather than yahyavi, maybe things could have turned out different.
booroomand conceded 3 goals against dalian, one of them being a very bad one from near the corner flag direct shot! but still, yahyavi was too short and i think we conceded on aerial balls against jubilo :(

[zzgloo]

If I am not mistaken Hafez Tahooni played for the TM Javanan as well before joining Rah Ahan.
Hossein Fekri was another Iranian footballer that due to his political belief (Leftist ideology) never got what he deserved in Iranian football. Khoosravani hated him so much. Probably it all went back all the way to 1953 Coup and Mossadegh, Tudeh party the whole 9 yards.
You are defenetly right about Hossain Fekri.........as he was people's coach.....so many players he created,and so many years he worked at dirt fields !!....and as you said, he along likes of lavasani and ghelichkhani, were revolutioneries........never bowed to the system......
You are also right about tahooni, being in the javanan......he was a very down to earth guy....and dam good keeper........he and also Nasser sabet pour,who also was the keeper, for Bank melli.......
Good old times........
Where were we then, and where are we now ?...so much has changed .

[soniq]

wow great stories guys. Thanks.

[Neda]

http://www.farsnevis.ir/up/2011/06/177974_640.jpg