Former Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Queiroz has received glowing praise from Iran star Saman Ghoddos ahead of the World Cup in Qatar.
“Carlos gives us a lot of confidence, a lot of tactical knowledge and it’s a happy place when you go to the national team when he’s there,” Ghoddos told Arab News.
The Brentford player added that the return of Queiroz has improved Iran’s togetherness.
“He brings so much togetherness and I feel everything is getting better when he’s there. The last World Cup I played in, it was the biggest thing I have done in my life so far, the biggest football achievement I have done,” he said.
Queiroz previously led Iran to the 2014 and 2018 World Cup finals.
The Portuguese coached Egypt before he was sacked hence his Iran reunion earlier this year.
Former Wits coach Roger de Sa is part of Queiroz’s backroom team in Iran.
The pair also worked together in the Egyptian team.
IRAN INSPIRED BY BRENTFORD WIN OVER MAN CITY
Ghoddos further said Brentford’s stunning 2-1 upset of Manchester City on Saturday had given Iran more belief.
He said Iran players can draw lessons from Brentford’s resilience to defeat the Premier League champions.
“It was an amazing win, not an easy place to come and to get the three points. We were really happy with that,” Ghoddos is quoted saying.
“This shows what can happen in football, everyone can be beaten, everyone can win. We feel like we deserved it and it’s a big achievement for us. There’s now a lot of energy, confidence, and that’s the perfect thing to take to the World Cup.”
Ghoddos watched proceedings from the bench as Ivan Toney’s double ended City’s 16-match home winning run.
Now, he will lead Iran in Group B battles of the World Cup against England, America and Wales
“We won’t fear them, we won’t fear anyone. It’s the World Cup and everything can happen,” he said.
IRAN WORLD CUP SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Alireza Beiranvand (Persepolis), Hossein Hosseini (Esteghlal), Payam Niazmand (Sepahan), Amir Abedzadeh (Ponferradina)
Defenders: Ramin Rezaeian (Sepahan), Abolfazl Jalali (Esteghlal), Hossein Kananizadegan (Al Ahli SC), Shoja Khalilzadeh (Al Ahli SC), Mortza Pouraliganji (Persepolis), Majid Hosseini (Kayserispor), Sadegh Moharrami (Dinamo Zagreb), Milad Mohammadi (AEK), Ehsan Hajisafi (AEK)
Midfielders: Saeid Ezatolahi (Vejle Boldklub), Ahmad Nourollahi (Shabab Al Ahli), Ali Karimi (Kayserispor), Rouzbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal), Vahid Amiri (Persepolis), Mehdi Torabi (Persepolis), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Feyenoord), Ali Gholizadeh (Charleroi), Saman Ghoddos (Brentford)
Forwards: Sardar Azmoun (Bayer Leverkusen), Karim Ansarifard (Omonia), Mehdi Taremi (Porto)
