Over the past few years, the top Iranian football clubs such as Persepolis, Sepahan and Traktor Sazi have recruited foreign coaches in order to secure their success in local and international competitions.
On the other side, Iranian football coaches have managed to win several trophies in local tournaments. But they have been criticized for their failures in international competitions including the AFC Champions League.
Alireza Derakhshani, who had played for several football clubs in Iran, says Iranian football coaches are relied mainly on their experiences rather than academic knowledge.
“As a matter of fact, most Iranian football coaches have never attended advanced and international coaching courses. So they are basically taking advantage of their past experiences for managing their teams,” Alireza Derakhshani told the Master Herald.
Although Iranian football coaches are required to pass coaching courses offered by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Derakhshani believes that these courses are literally unhelpful if coaches don’t attend international seminars and courses.
“The coaching certification issued by the AFC doesn’t guarantee the success of coaches in local and international competitions. In order to become a professional football coach, Iranians have to attend more advanced courses. They also need to gain enough experience to lead teams in different types of tournaments,” Derakhshani declared.
“Unfortunately no Iranian football club has managed to win any international title over the past twenty years. This proves that we are not on the right track. I strongly believe that the Iranian Football Federation should take the necessary steps to resolve this problem.” Alireza Derakhshani concluded.
Esteghlal coach Amir Ghalenoei is currently the most successful football coach in the Iran Pro League. He had claimed local titles several times with Esteghlal and Sepahan during his coaching career. However, he was totally unsuccessful in leading Esteghlal and Sepahan in the AFC Champions League.