U23- Games of the XXXII Olympiad

[Keano]

It's bizarre how we typically suck at this level of football. Our U-23 teams of the past decades have all been of failure indeed. However as they grow and play for senior teams, they prosper and become much better players. Does it mean our youth football academies (If we have any, other than Sepahan and Foolad's) are terrible at scouting and training our youth, or is it just that our youngsters in general don't take football as serious as a future career?

On the contrary Iraq's U-23 has continuously been qualifying to the olympics, often beating us in the qualifiers. I am sorry I do not buy into conspiracy theories. As a matter of fact sick and tired of our constant justifications and whining for every single loss and failure we face. We will never progress and learn to improve, for as long as we keep on resorting to excuses and blaming everyone for our shortcomings and flaws. That includes our federation and ourselves (The fans)

[peiman92]

According to Wikipedia the seedings for the final tournament are based on performance in 2018 U23 championship.

Pot 1: Thailand(Host), Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Qatar
Pot 2: South Korea, Iraq, Japan, North Korea
Pot 3: China, Australia, Jordan, Saudi
Pot 4: Syria, Iran, UAE, Bahrain

Qatar, Japan, Saudi, Iran is a possibility.
Thailand, North Korea, China, Iran is another.

[persian8iran]

Most close competition for us (Team Melli supporters) is dreaming with the possibility to watch U23 Iran in Toquio 2020
They have a talent young players where we can include our talent U17 that win 4-0 to Germany more players like Mehdi Ghaedi and Shekari who supposedly are the most excited players from now in this U22 Team. Hopefully they can included the best 3 experience and quality players (imagine Ghoddos; Azmoun and Jahanbakhsh or depending of weakness of the team a other view Beiranvand, Hajsafi and Morteza) playing and making up iranian football and getting again respect from the football fans around the world like in last World Cup stage. But for now we need to qualified and is just a dream. Unfortunately iranian football is corrupted and even our National Team don't have even a coach and friendly match, being the only interesting thing from iranian football currently is follow the progress and talent of Sardar Azmoun in Zenit, the only world class form from the legionaries around Europe.
So really will be good to make a great campaign in Thailand and to prepare our budget and airplane tickets to assist Team Melli in summer 2020 Olympic in Japan

[Futbaldoost]

Congrats. We got in. With a little better finishing (even against Turkmenistan and Yemen causing better goal difference) we would have made it as the first team. We need better preparations and friendlies. Trainers and medical staff need to do everything within their control to prepare the players for the Thailand tourney. If we get Sayadmanesh and Delfi back and maybe even Taha Shariati (we could really use him in defense) and the boys start to gel, we will have a chance. If Japan is one of the top three teams, the fourth team will also make it to Tokyo 2020. I don't care how we make it as long as we qualify to pack our bags for Japan.

Go TM-U23!

[St_Mark]

I did not see most of Iran_Iraq match but very glad they made it to the next round. Next round in Thailand will be much more exciting and difficult. For them to make it they must improve in every department. Base on what I have observed from Kranjcar & Estili , things will be more the same, They don't know better.

Next Round


Host: Thailand
Jan 8-28 2020
16 teams
4 groups teams ( two teams advance from each group for playoff stage).


16 teams:

Iran
Iraq
Syria
Qatar
UAE
Saudi Arabia
Jordan
Bahrain

Uzbekistan
Japan
S Korea
N Korea
Vietnam
Chila
Australia
Thailand

[H.Behzadi FAN]

W got in .... seeding doesn't mean anything in 8 months from now .... but ..... IF we don't have EZATOLAHI as our Captain for this tournament, I give up on the federation. smh

[Nokhodi]

W got in .... seeding doesn't mean anything in 8 months from now .... but ..... IF we don't have EZATOLAHI as our Captain for this tournament, I give up on the federation. smh

Ezatollahi can't be part of the team. You have to be born on January 1, 1997 or after. Ezatollahi is born in October 96.

Also, don't expect Delfi or any legionnaires as AFC has scheduled this during non FIFA days.

[_Navid_]

Damn should have bet on Saudi 1-1 UAE last night. I was sure that would be the score. Would have easily won a few grands.

[Siavash]

I watched most of the three games and I was proud of our U23. The players are very good and could have down much better. The problem is that the head coach is a drunk and his assistant is a well-known loser. I wasn't hard to notice our U23 players lack mental toughness and for sure the current coaching staff is unable of delivering in preparing our U23 players mentally (what do you expect from a drunk and a loser). Unfortunately I don't have much conference in our U23 choaching staff but I do in our boys. A combination of Golmohamabi and nekonam will be much better that these clowns.

[St_Mark]

What's your pitch and Plan Zlatko?

[Futbaldoost]

^ Kranchar needs to stay off the boos. He has a drinking problem that costed him his job at Sepahan. This is a serious issue and hopefully will not be part of his pitch. I wonder how much of the problem is getting the players (and perhaps the Iranian coaches and Esteeli) to follow his instructions. Esteeli needs to keep his hands off technical matters.

[Ghermez Agha]

What's your pitch and Plan Zlatko?

what did you think of zlatko when he was coaching sepahan?

[beri486]

Looks like he is a better bar tender than football coach.

Reminds me of the bar tender at Alpine Village.

[DaNinerMan]

W got in .... seeding doesn't mean anything in 8 months from now .... but ..... IF we don't have EZATOLAHI as our Captain for this tournament, I give up on the federation. smh

Ezatolahi won't play in the U23 Championship. But I can see him playing if Iran get to the Olympics.

[Iran_19]

Kranjcar is crap, honestly why would any half decent forgein coach take Iran's U23 job unless you have no better offer. Yahya was the most logic choice but unfortunaly these guys are not ready to leave their comorforbale salary in IPL to coach for almost nothing in U23,which i don't blame them, if IFF wants some local coaches, coach our U23 they need to pay them at least their IPL club level salary or whatever they are paying a guy such as Kranjcar now, or Vingada in past!