[76271] Amir Ghalenoei: Difficult days before the decision on the national team squad

Tension ahead of the Iran national team squad announcement

Iran's national football team coach, Amir Ghalenoei, is currently under heavy pressure ahead of finalizing the squad. In his report to Varzesh3, the coach noted that he "hasn't slept a wink for several nights" due to the difficulty of making decisions regarding cutting players. Ghalenoei added that "the preparations did not achieve what we wanted," and that the team is facing many logistical difficulties, including flight issues that are affecting schedules.

In a joint report by آخرین خبر ورزشی and آخرین خبر, which are major outlets in Iranian sports, the coach emphasized that the upcoming match against Mali will be the "biggest test" for the national team. Ghalenoei positively noted Mehdi Taremi's performance in a new role as an attacking midfielder, but expressed dissatisfaction with the individual errors in the defensive line observed in the match against Gambia.

Despite the self-criticism, SNN.ir reported that Ghalenoei maintains cautious optimism regarding the process, noting that in the second half against Gambia, the team achieved "things we have been looking for over the last three years." The coach clarified that the professional staff will hold decisive meetings with the medical and technical staff to finalize the names of the players to be included in the final squad.

Parallel to the coach's statements, the Iranian media points to the acclimatization attempts of new players like Dennis Eckert Ayensa, who is expected to receive additional playing minutes in the upcoming encounter, with the aim of improving defensive capability before the international tournament.