1990 World Cup Qualifying Campaign

[KC McElroy]

Those of you with such an advanced level of knowledge from this era 32 years ago: How do you remember this all so detailed?
Have you read various articles about the '90 qualification through the years, and thus obtained the knowledge? Or do these memories
linger so vividly that it is something which can never be forgotten? Do videos from these matches exist in full somewhere? I am well
aware of the Youtube clips, and I have managed to obtain those copies from the home games against Bangladesh and China (as previously
mentioned), although these are only 35-50 mins résumés. It would've been something else to be able to watch these in full.

For me it's mainly from memory.

[kaltz]

Those of you with such an advanced level of knowledge from this era 32 years ago: How do you remember this all so detailed? Have you read various articles about the '90 qualification through the years, and thus obtained the knowledge? Or do these memories linger so vividly that it is something which can never be forgotten? Do videos from these matches exist in full somewhere? I am well aware of the Youtube clips, and I have managed to obtain those copies from the home games against Bangladesh and China (as previously mentioned), although these are only 35-50 mins résumés. It would've been something else to be able to watch these in their entirety.

[kaltz]

The whole damn thing. It might be nostalgia, but the colors, sounds, the players.... the quality of the knockout stage was to me unrivalled to today. Argentina - England, Brazil - Holland, Holland - Argentina, Croatia - France..

Not to mention Iran was back in the World Cup after 20 years.

Of course, that latter fact must have been quite significant. I do remember what I myself was like back in '94, when Norway were competing in a World Cup for the first time in several generations. And for sure - those knock-out stage fixtures were quite special.

The final was a pretty dull affair, though, to say the least (not that it wasn't in '90, mind!), and it kind of added a sour after-taste to the whole tournament for me. But of course, if I had let the final itself make up the criteria for which World Cup I like and which I don't, then I'd never have stuck with Italia '90, so it is not a valid criteria.

[KC McElroy]

Thanks.
Yes, I was refering to 'FA' in my post; I ought to have used 'IFF' instead. More correct, obviously.
However, it was my understanding that the ban only applied for three players: Morteza Fonoonizadeh, Mojtabi Moharrama and Sirous Ghayeghran. Were even others suspended by IFF due to the alledged shenanigans? Hence my question regarding Mohammedkhani and also Zarincheh. However, I saw the latter was back for the home fixture against the Chinese a week later, so I guess there were other reasons than suspension, at least for him, which saw him ruled out for the trip to Shenyang.
I am impressed with the in-depth knowledge a lot of you guys have regarding this era. Obviously, I am grateful that you're sharing; I am trying to suck it all in.
So it was definitely a 4-4-2 formation in China?
The 35 mins or so which I have from the home game against Bangladesh, the formation to me appeared, quite clearly, to be 4-3-3, but of course, that was against much inferior opposition, and it was a home tie, a must-win game. It made perfect sense to switch to 4-4-2 for a difficult away tie, especially when your back four is completely new in comparison to previously in the qualification.
Another question: Why hadn't Pious been featuring under Vatankhah? I am aware he played in Qatar, though that didn't automatically rule him out? Was it so that his club there had refused him to join up with the national team while they were still in season? He returned for the home game against Thailand, but that was already at the end of May, so perhaps the Qatari league season had already finished, and they didn't mind to let him go. It happened quite frequently, at least in Europe, at that time that clubs didn't allow their player(s) to travel for international assignments if they had a club fixture coming up.

Five players total were suspended although the three you mentioned were starters. The other two were Nader Mohammadkhani and Ashouri if I remember correctly.
There was no rule not to bring in foreign based players. It was more of an unwritten rule which is why Pious was invited by Monajati when it became crucial.

[KC McElroy]

Abtahi was LB.
Fononi DM. Kermani LW.

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Perhaps he was. I remember him playing midfield that game but I could be wrong. But in any case we were missing Moharrami, Morteza Fonounizadeh, Nader Mohammadkhani through suspension and Zarrincheh through injury. And all just a few days before the game.

[kaltz]

Mehdi is younger brother of Morteza Fononi.
Players you mentioned were not available due to stupid disciplinary reason.

Thanks.
Yes, I was refering to 'FA' in my post; I ought to have used 'IFF' instead. More correct, obviously.
However, it was my understanding that the ban only applied for three players: Morteza Fonoonizadeh, Mojtabi Moharrama and Sirous Ghayeghran. Were even others suspended by IFF due to the alledged shenanigans? Hence my question regarding Mohammedkhani and also Zarincheh. However, I saw the latter was back for the home fixture against the Chinese a week later, so I guess there were other reasons than suspension, at least for him, which saw him ruled out for the trip to Shenyang.

Monajati back 4 were all messed up and one of the main reason why we lost.
Hasanzadeh and Khakpour were both inexperienced CB back to the time.
He played Taghavi as RB which is not his position, he was more of LB and CB occasionally.
That was the line up,
Abedzadeh
Taghavi, Hasanzadeh, Khakpour, Abtahi
Namjoo, Mehdi Fononi, Eftekhari, Kermani
Bavi, Pious

I am impressed with the in-depth knowledge a lot of you guys have regarding this era. Obviously, I am grateful that you're sharing; I am trying to suck it all in.
So it was definitely a 4-4-2 formation in China?
The 35 mins or so which I have from the home game against Bangladesh, the formation to me appeared, quite clearly, to be 4-3-3, but of course, that was against much inferior opposition, and it was a home tie, a must-win game. It made perfect sense to switch to 4-4-2 for a difficult away tie, especially when your back four is completely new in comparison to previously in the qualification.

Another question: Why hadn't Pious been featuring under Vatankhah? I am aware he played in Qatar, though that didn't automatically rule him out? Was it so that his club there had refused him to join up with the national team while they were still in season? He returned for the home game against Thailand, but that was already at the end of May, so perhaps the Qatari league season had already finished, and they didn't mind to let him go. It happened quite frequently, at least in Europe, at that time that clubs didn't allow their player(s) to travel for international assignments if they had a club fixture coming up.

[Nokhodi]

Do you reckon that getting someone from abroad in, someone completely neutral (as I am thinking that there may be some problems in uniting, for example, Persepolis and Esteghlal fans), was vital for the sake of the national team?

Neutrality towards Persepolis and Esteghlal was too always an issue. Domestic coaches would go out of their way to name equal numbers of players from both clubs so they could avoid being called partisan.
With a foreign coach that was less of an issue - they would just invite whoever they thought was best. During the beginning of CQ's reign Esteghlal had the better players, and the balance shifted towards Persepolis near the end of his reign.

The best thing about CQ besides his defensive tactical acumen was that he didn't take shit from anyone, yet he simultaneously understood the financial limitations of IFF. For example IFF couldn't pay foreign staff money on time due to sanctions, but instead of crying about a violation of his contract, he would wait and get paid once every 9 months or something. A piece of shit like Marc Wilmots didn't get paid in 1 month, took IFF to CAS and now IFF owes 10 million euros because they weren't smart enough to include clauses in the contract about problems with paying due to sanctions.

Good! What were your favourite bits in that tournament?

The whole damn thing. It might be nostalgia, but the colors, sounds, the players.... the quality of the knockout stage was to me unrivalled to today. Argentina - England, Brazil - Holland, Holland - Argentina, Croatia - France..

Not to mention Iran was back in the World Cup after 20 years.

[Iran_19]

The worst part in all that was UAE which advanced with SK.
Japan wasn't yet a power, Saudi was shit that year so the second spot was up to grab. As UAE advanced with 4 draws and only 1 win. Imagine

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[Iran_19]

I don't think Abtahi played in the back. I'm almost positive it was Taghavi, Hasanzadeh, Khakpour and Mehdi Fonounizadeh. Still poor choices but that's what was available in camp.

Abtahi was LB.
Fononi DM. Kermani LW.

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[Iran_19]

I think the main reason Panjali was a fixed player in the Asian Games was Parvin flooding the team with Persepolis players. I mean even Ghilich was invited. I thought other than the China away game we played excellent under Monajati. Even in that game we held strong till late in the game and could have even taken the lead with Kermani's header that hit the post. Again with only a few days in between the suspensions and the China game I can't blame anyone but the IFF.

You lead a home game 3-0, allowing 2 crucial goals which let China advance, i don't call it good coaching. It wasn't only China away but home game also which costed us the qualification as unfortunately every goal counted at the end.

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[KC McElroy]

Not only that Abtahi was mainly LW than LB.
As i said Monajati and IFF messed up our back 4 big time.
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I don't think Abtahi played in the back. I'm almost positive it was Taghavi, Hasanzadeh, Khakpour and Mehdi Fonounizadeh. Still poor choices but that's what was available in camp.

[KC McElroy]

I found him very good in 90 asian games.
And reason why he played all games.
It was crucial game and experience was huge.
Not only that. This was freaking NT, not club to play someone out position in case of Taghavi. Invite another RB, shahin, whatever.
Monajati had no clue what he was doing as the coach.
Thank god he didn't last long. (Not that Parvin was any better though).

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I think the main reason Panjali was a fixed player in the Asian Games was Parvin flooding the team with Persepolis players. I mean even Ghilich was invited. I thought other than the China away game we played excellent under Monajati. Even in that game we held strong till late in the game and could have even taken the lead with Kermani's header that hit the post. Again with only a few days in between the suspensions and the China game I can't blame anyone but the IFF.

[Iran_19]

Not only that Abtahi was mainly LW than LB.
As i said Monajati and IFF messed up our back 4 big time.


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[Iran_19]

It's not particularly his age I'm nitpicking, it's his speed.

I found him very good in 90 asian games.
And reason why he played all games.
It was crucial game and experience was huge.
Not only that. This was freaking NT, not club to play someone out position in case of Taghavi. Invite another RB, shahin, whatever.
Monajati had no clue what he was doing as the coach.
Thank god he didn't last long. (Not that Parvin was any better though).

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[KC McElroy]

Panjali is one of the top 5 Iran CB in history.
He was 33/34 in 89 for 90 qualifiers. Not that old, specially for CB back to the time.

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It's not particularly his age I'm nitpicking, it's his speed.