Follow Ali Karimi | The Wizard Thread

[Kiarash]

Inb4 Karimi fans say he can still come out of retirement and play for Iran in the 2018 World Cup, loool

[K. Nader]

Inb4 Karimi fans say he can still come out of retirement and play for Iran in the 2018 World Cup, loool

LOL

It's not even about Karimi fans. There's no doubting that Karimi is the most naturally talented footballer to come out of Iran. However, aside from the goal against UAE in the 2010 WCQ, Karimi has been a zero factor in Team Melli since the end of 2006 (nearly a decade ago). The way Karimi has been portrayed as Iran's savior in the 2014 World Cup, you'd think he's Zidane himself.

I'm not here to bring Karimi down. He has a plethora of accomplishments that nobody can take away from him. However, when the line starts blurring between reality and fantasy, then something should be said.

[BacheLot]

Being the coach means making tough decisions - especially when it comes to the squad selection for major tournaments. I'll start with the easier case (Azmoun), then move on to Karimi.

In Azmoun's case, he was getting more minutes with Rubin towards the end of the season and scored several goals. This alone led him to being invited to the Team Melli camps in Austria. As we've seen since the Asian Cup, Azmoun clearly has fitness issues. When he did have a chance to shine before the World Cup, he had to be stretchered off in a friendly after 10 minutes due to breathing problems.

As opposed to Jahanbakhsh who hit the ground running in Holland and got his Team Melli invited back in October/November 2013, Azmoun had zero synergy with the team. His fitness was questionable and whether or not he could fit within CQ's system was yet to be determined. As opposed to the IPL philosophy of tossing in new players in day 1, CQ gives players their chances and moves them into the first team slowly. If Azmoun is starting for us now, it's a decision that was made following 5 months of evaluation in camps between August 2014 - December 2014.

In a 1 striker system, we only need Gucci + one backup. With Ansarifard having a decent season in Teraktor as well as his experience in Team Melli, he was a much more appropriate candidate at the time. One of the weakest aspects of Iranians in sports is psychology (an area which CQ has been addressing since his arrival). To expect a 19 year old Azmoun to enter his 2nd or 3rd international game against the likes of Nigeria, Argentina, or Bosnia and be our savior is wishful thinking. It's certainly not impossible but to think that his exclusion wasn't without justification is a mistake.

The next case is Karimi. Again, people need to stop living in a dream world to think that he would have been our savior. Karimi was coming up on 35 at the time and as you mentioned, the IPL season was already having its toll on him. As great as his vision is, fitness was also imperative to the game plan we were deploying. Every player had to be ready to play both offensively and defensively. It's no joke that a team that usually burns out by the 65th minute outran all three of their opponents in the World Cup. Even in his best days, Karimi was not a player you'd see running all over the pitch. In the counter-attacking game plan, Karimi doesn't have the time to slowly move with the ball and think of the best option (like in the IPL). Even in this thread, most of these highlights are of Karimi in 2004 - 2006 when he was 25 - 27.

God forbid that we're 0-0 with Argentina in the 80th minute and we bring in Karimi and end up losing. Suddenly, CQ would have become public enemy #1 for taking such a risk at a critical point in the match. In any case, CQ did pick a back-up playmaker - Bakhtiar Rahmani - who captained Foulad to the IPL championship. He also had an EPL-quality Dejagah who could shift between RW and CAM.

To be a part of the squad, you needed to meet the standards and fitness was one of them. Whether you're Karimi, Nekounam, Hosseini, or Ando, you don't get a free pass because you're only going to be needed - at most - for 20-25 minutes per game. You go to the World Cup ready to play 90 minutes of high intensity football.

Then there's the simple fact that Karimi retired from the national right before the qualifiers in June 2013. It was during the time that Karimi was away that CQ was able to find the right formula and identity for Team Melli. When Karimi had his 3rd change of heart in regards to Team Melli, it was too late. Had he not made the impulsive decision to retire, he may have very well gone on to play in the World Cup.

At the end of the day, Karimi is a very emotional individual and despite his footballing brilliance when he's at his best, he can be just as equally toxic for the team (and himself). Not only did his actions cost him the World Cup, he tarnished his second chance after abandoning his post as assistant coach before the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

blah blah blah
have heard these bs justifications many times and we have argued it even more
FACT REMAINS
these 2 players are 2 of the MOST talented and exceptionally skilled players for TM like EVER..!! these 2 can handle playing at a highest Levels of Football Like the World Cup Vs the Highest caliber opponents worldwide..!! perhaps in limited Dosage due to form and fitness, but STILL ..!!

you dont take in their place a handful of clearly injured and obviously Sub-par, useless backup options who have less than 5% chance of actually featuring at a competition like the WC and less than that percentage to make a squat bit of a difference when they do..!!

No one asked nor Expected CQ to start and give them 90 minutes at World Cup, but a smart coach would know ahead of time that he is very likely to need QUALITY, IMPACT Subs on his bench for times when his obvious Defensive game plans go to shittss and have to change tactics to get outa sticky situations..!! CQ didnt ...!! simple AS THAT..!!
Thats why it was all over when we had to come outa of our defensive shells and play attacking football inorder to win the last match ..!!

Tactically speaking CQ is way too One dimensional, has been and still is..!! He hardly ever have a pre-rehearsed Plan B tactic for when his original game plans goe awry..!! he has always been that way for TM..!! I complained about it when we got in a pickle of having to win last three qualifiers inorder to qualify for Brazil..!! hala oono ke as koooon dar aavordim but he clearly failed us both at WC and AC with his team's One-dimensionality..!!
Is CQ the Still the Best realistic, available head coach for TM...? as whole, Surely YES, and that by a country mile...!!
but like i said before he Fked up big time leaving behind 2 of the highest caliber, top Quality iranian footballers ever and instead relying on some fatass, khepel, slow-poke like Beykzadeh to miraculously recover from a clear injury to provide him Even more defensive cover from the bench..!!
in short, CQ RID...!!

[littlepersia17]

Who is this?[emoji1]


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[Nariman]

Among all the well-known faces coming from Iran and around the world, he still was the only one that interested me.

Faghat Jadoogar

[ShiroKhorshid]

That turn he made on Couto on the last pic was unbeliveable. No one can do that as nice and smooth as the wizard.
Bless him

[Camran khan]

Any highlight video of him?

[BacheLot]

he owned that nasty-tempered David almost all game..!!
it was fun to watch battle ...!

[ShiroKhorshid]

image.jpgimage.jpg

Even Bayern knew they had signed a wizard

Ghorbune sheklesh beram man

[BacheLot]

That suit / costume ? is like 3 sizes too big ..!lol

[ShiroKhorshid]

On the first look you think its a Shalvar Kordi

[PersianLegion]

Who is this?[emoji1]


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His shirt is similar to the old Iranian prisoners' uniforms.

[Salar]

http://www.varzesh3.com/news/1270564...%D9%85%D8%AF--

His first car, the one he used to come to PP practice with as a youngster sold for 508 million toman today at a charity auction! about 160,000 usd!

[PersianLegion]

http://www.varzesh3.com/news/1270564...%D9%85%D8%AF--

His first car, the one he used to come to PP practice with as a youngster sold for 508 million toman today at a charity auction! about 160,000 usd!

Apparently, it is a similar car not the original one you are talking about. But Karimi had this for a while so it is still considered as Karimi's car.

[BacheLot]

dude, that is a sweet-ass ride..!! sick looking..!!

wish i had stupid money.... i would have bought that shitt in a min..!!