Cymro - Comments

Small chance of Champions League but we need to do better. I don't think we can manage this run and the European one.

Hit them on the counter and park the bus. Job done.

Hold my hands up. Messed up and only came away with a draw, and thus our chances of Champions League have begun to slip.

Just kept hitting the bar, thought we would never get the win. We dug deep and we were the better side. We have to dig even deeper in the next leg to progress.

Richly deserved!

So who did I sign from South America then?

I thought I agreed the deal with him ... must be wrong tho!

So my little international adventure is over for now. Great to get that experience and brilliant to win an international tournament. Back to club management. Won't be updating this story now for a while, busy time at work but will try and play through the season when I can and update accordingly.

'Don't Care!' ... overachievers we maybe but we certainly entertained the Olympic crowds.

3 Players in the squad, one as a starter. Really happy with that.

How the final played out. We needed the red card to help us secure victory. The difference here was we were able to soak up the pressure and not allow Argentina real clear shots on goal and thus when we had our chances we took them.

So there is the tale of the tape. Gold medallists and winners of the Olympic U23 tournament in Japan. Very proud of the players. It wasn't easy we lost some of our over 23 players in the run up and had to replace them but in the words of Andy Tate, we played in the 'Barca Style Of Play', we came to the party and shocked teams. Our heavy based possession game worked and it strangled sides, against the top sides such as Germany and Argentina they found it tough to break us down. It is a great achievement. Not only for me but for the players and Iran as a nation. There is some talent here and so to win this will hopefully get them to kick on.

So the downside of the Olympics and me being manager. I managed to call up players that I am familiar with and know will do well. The downside is that Saipa will kick off the league campaign with some key personnel missing. It is a gamble but I feel if we can be steady in our opening fixtures in the league then we will be ok.

So the media and bookies think we will be there or there abouts come end of the season. I think we have an excellent chance. I've strengthened the side in some key areas and I feel that these players will help us secure the league. Place your bets on us. Won't get much money in return mind.

Chairman links us with Bastia. Shall be interesting watching these guys trying to poach players off us.

The overachievers ... cannot disagree with it.

We get crowned the best but the best in my eyes win the league ...

Would have appreciated this had I won the league.

Took the job. I'm off to rock and roll and cause a storm in the Olympics. Would love a gold medal.

The Olympics is just around the corner and I have been offered the Iran U23's role. It is very tempting. Might look good on the CV.

We scored the goals, but couldn't win games when it mattered.

Being lazy and continuing with this lazy layout.






So decided to stick around for my second season in Iranian football. One that I was still unsure about. The club over the off season went through a small overhaul of personnel. I am keen to really take the league by storm and push the big boys at the top. The chairman supplied me with cash and he was keen to see the club make some progression this season.





Some huge victories there. The biggest disappointment has to be how the season ended. We were sat in pole position and then pow, two draws and we dropped to second. Heartbreaking. Hoping to make an effort to reproduce the scenario again next season and just go that one step further. We have the quality and maybe the mid season changes played a role in us not winning.



We threw the league away. We had it on our hands and the last few games the run of form deserted us. The top three was a really tight affair, and not one I enjoyed that much at times. Not bad to end up runners up. But heartbreaking all the same.



Stole the show in the Cup. Means we are playing Champions League football next season. Be interesting to see how this squad fairs. It is far better than the BEC side that won it under me. Not at the same level of Guangzhou though. We had some tired legs in the final and we had to wait for extra time to seal the victory. On another day we could have easily missed out here.



The squad is gelling nicely now. We have some fantastic talent. These players over the coming years will nurture into real talent and hopefully be a catalyst for a revival of the Iranian national football team.



The famous academy produced some great talent and the majority of them have been signed up already. Hoping over the next few seasons we will see a few of these breaking into the first team.



Wheeling and dealing worse than Del Boy Trotter. Lost superstar Pavia to a release clause to title rivals and star striker Youssef Nasser to Chinese powerhouse Shandong. It meant that the side during the mid season transfer window had to be readdressed causing much disruption. I eventually settled the squad and now possess some of the best young talent in Iran.



When you look at this you worry because of the shear amount of money that is being lost. However in reality we know that the chairman will continue to dig deep for us but the problem was the low gate attendance and the improvement of infrastructure.



Key Player Profiles:



Might be a familiar name for readers. Eronna is the Nigerian player who's career I managed to stall whilst in China. When I first signed him he had bags of potential but rarely playing under me in China hampered his progression. Despite this, he was keen to sign with me. He was signed halfway through the season after getting rid of players. 12 goals in 12 games is a fantastic return. He is firmly our first choice striker.



Dueramae another who rejoined me. Signed for the third time. He is brilliant signing for us and boy oh boy did he boss the league. When he was available he displayed passing master classes for opponents who literally could not touch him. He's fallen foul with the national team boss which is staggering. He is class.



Mehdil was an expensive outlay for us but worth every penny. The playmaker thrived playing in the hole for us. Was amazed to see he didn't get an international call up. Physically he is not the best but technically he is brilliant.



Ramin when fit would ruin left backs in this league. But when fit was the question.



Our Reza was the elder statesman of the team. He was a goalscoring machine. Questions were asked numerous times why he wasn't called up by Iran. Had a sneaky suspicion that the Iranian manager does not like me or the club. Many players should have been selected but were overlooked. I will keep banging the drum for them when I can.



Career Overview

2014 - BEC Tero Sasana F.C. - League Winners and FA Cup Winners
2015 - BEC Tero Sasana F.C. - League, League Cup, Royal Cup and AFC Champions League Winners
2016 - Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao Football Club - League, CFA Cup and CSL All-Stars Winners
2017 - Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao Football Club - League, CFA Cup, Super Cup, AFC Champions League and CSL All-Stars Winners
2018 - Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao Football Club - League, CFA Cup and Super Cup Winners
2019 - Saipa Alborz Football Club - Azadegan League Winner (Promotion)
2020 - Saipa Alborz Football Club - Persian Gulf Pro League Runners Up and Hazfi Cup Winners



Next Season

The real decision is do I leave or stay. I've started but with these rules placed upon the squad for next season I don't think it is something I am going to enjoy. Ideally I wanted to build the youth up and play them but the rules stop us from doing that to a certain degree. We can get some rubbish over 23s at the moment but that won't be enough to help us survive. There is nothing out there of any interest for me at the moment but if something does come I will likely apply for it.

Close to reaching the top of my game in terms of coaching badges. Really happy that I am progressing through the badges.

New one year deal. By signing the one year I can keep my options open for a new challenge. I have one or two countries in mind but it's all about the offer. For now I am with Saipa.

The chairman is most generous. I ask I get. Cannot ask for more. Hopefully we shall start to see the better youth youngsters come through now.

The board have their ideas too. It is nice to know there is little pressure in the league. We have an excellent chance meeting the league objectives. The bottom half of the league is really weak and our newly promoted squad is far stronger than them. Quarter Final in the cup is the challenge. It all depends on the draw, we could easily pass the expectation.

Cheers lads.



Mid table, we will take that. But I'm hoping to sneakily go above the media prediction.

Seems that the Cardiff Home and Away kit still appear in the standard format.

Amazing amount of work gone into this! Good stuff.

Just to note Jack Kelsey (at Arsenal) is Welsh and not English. Capped 41 times for Wales.

Excellent start, let it continue.