The Iranian football federation dismissed Dragan Skocic, the Croatian coach who has guided the national soccer team since February 2020.
The leading candidates to replace Skocic with four months until the World Cup in Qatar are Iranian.
“The importance of the World Cup on a global scale and in terms of national pride has added to the urgency of the decision,” Ghotbi, an Iranian-American coach who was in charge of Iran’s national team from 2009 to 2011, told AP. “Especially with politically sensitive opponents such as England and the US.
“While the team qualified easily for the World Cup, poor performances and results against strong opponents South Korea and Algeria have led to fans and key players losing faith in the coach.”
Iran has failed to progress past the first round in five previous trips to the World Cup but Ghotbi believes that the soccer team can make history.
“It is a tough group but it is one in which Iran can pass through to the knockout stage if the right decisions are made,” he said.