March 25, 2023

‘Let the kids play’- Iran’s Queiroz vents anger over efforts to politicise players

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Group B - England v Iran - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - November 21, 2022 Iran coach Carlos Queiroz reacts REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (8 votes, average: 3.50 out of 5)
Loading...
1,362 views

The Star – DOHA, Iran coach Carlos Queiroz vented his fury on Monday about players being dragged into a crisis at home, telling compatriots not to harass and politicise his team and to let them focus on their World Cup campaign.

Speaking after his side’s 6-2 pummelling by England in their World Cup opener, Queiroz said his players, who have a high profile at home, had been criticised heavily and even threatened over issues that had nothing to do with football.

Team Melli have been in the spotlight in the run-up to the World Cup, with many Iranians seeking their public endorsement for one of the most sustained challenges to the legitimacy of Iran’s clerical rulers since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Fans have accused the squad of siding with a violent state crackdown on the unrest, during which activists say more than 400 people have been killed, including dozens of minors.

“To those who come to disturb the team with the issues that are not only about the football opinions, they’re not welcome because our boys, they’re just simple football boys,” Queiroz told a news conference.

“Let the kids play the game. Because this is what they’re looking for. They wanted to represent the country, to represent the people, as any other national team that are here. And all the national teams, there are issues at home.”

The protests have gripped Iran since the death two months ago of young women, Mahsa Amini, after her arrest for flouting the country’s strict Islamic dress code.

Ahead of the match, no Iranian player had voiced support for the demonstrations, though the team’s captain Ehsan Hajsafi, on Sunday cautiously broke their World Cup silence on the protests and said his team supported and sympathised with their people.

But in a show of solidarity on Monday, the team declined to sing the national anthem before the match and celebrations of their two goals were muted, following similar moves by other Iranian sportsmen and women.

The Portuguese Querioz, who led Iran to the 2018 World Cup, said he was proud of his players for the political pressure they had to deal with and urged England and upcoming Group B opponents Wales and the United States to rally behind them.

“I hope…they are praising our players for the courage to be trying to play the game,” he said.

“Because it’s not right to come to this World Cup and ask them to do things that’s not their responsibility, it’s not their mission.

“They’re here to for the people to honour the people, to bring pride, to bring joy to bring happiness to the people. That’s the reason why they’re here.”

situs slot gacor provider terbaik agen toto slot terpercaya 2023 agen toto togel terpercaya 2023 situs toto togel pasaran resmi terbaik bandar toto macau pasaran resmi toto togel bandar toto slot gacor 4d 2023 bo togel online pasaran terlengkap sepanjang masa bo toto slot terlengkap sepanjang masa situs toto togel 2023 bet 100 perak daftar toto slot dan toto togel 2023 bermain toto togel dengan bet hanya 100 perak daftar toto slot bonus new member terpercaya bermain toto slot pelayanan 24 jam nonstop agen slot gacor 4d hadiah terbesar bandar toto slot provider terbaik toto slot gacor 4d hingga toto togel toto togel pasaran resmi terpercaya agen togel online terbesar 2023 situs togel online terpercaya 2023 bo togel online paling resmi 2023 situs slot online pasti gacor bo slot online deposit tanpa potongan situs toto togel dan toto slot bonus new member situs toto slot gacor 4d winsortoto winsortoto agen toto togel dan bo toto slot terpercaya agen togel online pasaran toto macau situs toto togel bet 100 perak agen toto slot terpercaya pasti gacor bo togel online hadiah 4d 10 juta situs toto togel resmi terpercaya dan terlengkap situs toto slot dan toto togel deposit 10rb tanpa potongan bandar toto togel hadiah 4d 10 juta agen togel online bonus new member bandar toto togel terbesar hadiah 4d 10 juta situs toto slot gacor anti rungkad bandar toto togel terpercaya dengan bonus new member bo toto togel bet 100 perak hadiah terbesar bandar toto togel pasaran resmi lisensi pagcor situs toto slot gacor 4d haidah terbesar 2023 bandar toto togel pasaran lengkap terbaik situs toto slot engine terpercaya pasti gacor situs toto togel resmi bet hanya 100 perak situs toto online resmi lisensi pagcor situs toto togel resmi dan bandar toto slot gacor terbaik bandar toto togel resmi dan terlengkap 2023 bo toto togel situs toto togel deposit pulsa tanpa potongan situs toto slot terpercaya agen toto togel dan situs toto slot terpercaya bo toto togel resmi dan agen toto slot terpercaya agen toto togel terpercaya resmi dan terlengkap situs toto slot terbaik anti nawala togel online resmi pasaran terlengkap situs toto macau dari toto togel resmi dan terpercaya bandar toto slot gacor dari toto togel 4d terbesar agen toto togel resmi pasaran terlengkap dan resmi situs toto togel resmi pasaran lengkap bet 100 situs toto togel yang menyediakan permainan toto slot gacor agen toto togel bet 100 bonus harian situs toto togel resmi pasaran togel hongkong resmi toto togel dari situs toto terpercaya sepanjang masa bandar toto slot dan situs toto togel 4d Situs Togel Online Pasarean Toto Macau Terbaik ltdtoto winsortoto