Is Iranian football threatened by players "exodus" to Qatar...?

[Paradigm]

Reading the article below from October 31 - Your thoughts?

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/454...xodus-to-Qatar

Tehran Times - Iran has seen an increasing number of football players going to the Qatar Stars League (QSL) in recent years.

The statistics show eight Iranian stars will play in the new season of the Qatari leagues.

It is followed by leagues such as Belgium, Russia, England, Portugal, Turkey, the Netherlands, Denmark, Turkey, Greece, Croatia, Ukraine, and China who have seen Iranian stars in their leagues.

Iran iconic forward Sardar Azmoun, who plays for Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg, has been valued around €20m by Transfer Market. The other Iran national player Alireza Jahanbakhsh joined the English side Brighton & Hove Albion from Dutch club AZ Alkmaar for an undisclosed club-record fee, reported to be £17m.

But most of the other Iranian players who have gone abroad in recent years, preferred to sign with the teams of the lower European leagues such as Portugal and Belgium with not very considerable contract fees.

However, many experts believe that playing in Europe – even in the lower European leagues – is far better for Iranian players than in the leagues of countries like Qatar. They say that playing in such Asian leagues will not help the Iranian talents to improve their career.

Ali Karimi, former Esteghlal midfielder, was the latest one who opted to go to the QSL as he joined Qatar SC on Friday. He has joined other players such as Rouzbeh Cheshmi (Umm Salal), Shoja Khalilzadeh (Al-Rayyan), and Mehdi Torabi and Mehrdad Mohammadi (Al-Arabi) in leaving the IPL.

The Iranian Professional League (IPL) does not have the needed facilities to keep the Iranian football talents for a long time.

The Iranian clubs' financial problems and the unexpected drop of Iran’s currency value are the reasons behind the move for the player exodus.

For many Iranian clubs’ directors, it is inevitable to let their stars leave the team and play abroad. These transfers can help the Iranian teams to benefit financially, but the problem is that most of the players join the foreign clubs as free agents and their former Iranian clubs gain nothing!

[PSGman#19]

Official ali karimi signed with qatar sc, will wear number 9(!)

[Dortmund]

It doesn't help that Iranian clubs go to extremes to block transfers to Europe. A reasonable release clause or lower fee with sell on clause and they won't have players leaving on a free

[Nokhodi]

It’s very bad for our football. We have had several waves of this - the most noticeable being the late 80s and mid 2000s and the results speak for themselves. The more players we have in the PGCC, the less likely we are to qualify for WC.

[_Navid_]

It is a tragedy.

[PSGman#19]

It’s very bad for our football. We have had several waves of this - the most noticeable being the late 80s and mid 2000s and the results speak for themselves. The more players we have in the PGCC, the less likely we are to qualify for WC.

Our players don't have real eu offer and when they join them they are unfairly benched in second rate euro league lately.

Of course qatar isn't EPL or laliga but I don't see how is it worse than IPL. Qatar clubs have equivalent results than our clubs in ACL, better facilities better foreign coach and players and better friendlies

[rdwrrr]

I think the players that went to Qatar are the payers that will not have a future in TM.
I think the level of Qatar is not drastically lower than PGL.
Also, it forces the top teams in PGL to utilize younger players.
So overall, I am good with it.

[BacheLot]

Not a whole lot of a threat these days
Cause they’re only able to attract our excess, scrub TM talents who are mostly on the fringes of getting little if any meaningful minutes in official matches Or mostly played-out ex Tm starters in twilight of their careers ..!

thanks in large to sir Carlito, anymore if players have any desires as starting and getting steady minutes in TM, they know now that they have to apply their trade in a more competitive european league...!

[kian_khosh]

if this was several years ago where ali karimi denied atleti for qatar, yes. but all of our youngsters now are determined to make it big in europe (delfi, mohebi, taha, allahayar, etc.) most of our players in qatar aren’t really of use to team melli, so i think we’re fine for at least another 5-10 years

[O-ZoNe]

I think the bigger threat is being stuck, benched, or scratched in second tier Euro leagues. I mean its clear Azmoun has outdone Russia, Taremi is so far wasting in Porto and our future is plying away in Denmark, Ukraine, Croatia, and only marginally better, Belgium.

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[Ardalan]

I think the bigger threat is being stuck, benched, or scratched in second tier Euro leagues. I mean its clear Azmoun has outdone Russia, Taremi is so far wasting in Porto and our future is plying away in Denmark, Ukraine, Croatia, and only marginally better, Belgium.

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Man maseleyi nemibinam agar bazikonhaamoon dar lige radde 2 Europa baazi konan, AGAR be pishrafteshoon komak kone.

Masalan Gholizadeh va Kaveh az nazare footballi kheili pohkte-tar shodan dar Belgique, Moharrami dar Croazia rosjt karde, Abedzadeh dar Marítimo

daare behtar o behtar mishe, va Taremi ham dar Rio Ave az nazare footballi kheili chizhaayi yaad gerefte.

Riske raftan be yek lige daste 2 Europa miarze, foghesh agar nashod mitonan beran Qatar va pool ja'm konan.

Baraye bazikone nime-khoob yek gharadaad dar Qatar HAMISHE ast.

Qatar bayad hamishe yek "Plan B" baashe, hargez gozineye avval.

[O-ZoNe]

Man maseleyi nemibinam agar bazikonhaamoon dar lige radde 2 Europa baazi konan, AGAR be pishrafteshoon komak kone.

Masalan Gholizadeh va Kaveh az nazare footballi kheili pohkte-tar shodan dar Belgique, Moharrami dar Croazia rosjt karde, Abedzadeh dar Marítimo

daare behtar o behtar mishe, va Taremi ham dar Rio Ave az nazare footballi kheili chizhaayi yaad gerefte.

Riske raftan be yek lige daste 2 Europa miarze, foghesh agar nashod mitonan beran Qatar va pool ja'm konan.

Baraye bazikone nime-khoob yek gharadaad dar Qatar HAMISHE ast.

Qatar bayad hamishe yek "Plan B" baashe, hargez gozineye avval.

Of course. But I'm not talking about those who are playing regular minutes.

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[PSGman#19]

if this was several years ago where ali karimi denied atleti for qatar, yes. but all of our youngsters now are determined to make it big in europe (delfi, mohebi, taha, allahayar, etc.) most of our players in qatar aren’t really of use to team melli, so i think we’re fine for at least another 5-10 years

It could become a threat if this trend encourages our European legionnaires to suddenly join qatar when they face difficulty in Europe

[pres80]

I understand that comparing European leagues to Qatar it's obvious we don't want players going to Qatar over Europe but does anyone here think the Iranian league is better in quality?

legitimate question and would be interested to know why if any of you do.

[O-ZoNe]

I understand that comparing European leagues to Qatar it's obvious we don't want players going to Qatar over Europe but does anyone here think the Iranian league is better in quality?

legitimate question and would be interested to know why if any of you do.

Yes...by virtue of how many IPL teams have made the ACL finals in last 10-15 years. I think only Al-Saad has done it from QSL. On top of that our performance is remarkable given all the obvious challenges IPL clubs face.

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