Iran sacks Daei after Saudi defeat

Iran on Sunday sacked its national football team coach Ali Daei following its defeat against Saudi Arabia in a 2010 World Cup qualifier, the state news agency IRNA reported on Sunday.

“Ali Daei was sacked from coaching the national team in response to people’s demands for his negligence in fulfilling his duty and the team’s poor results in World Cup qualifiers,” IRNA said, quoting an unnamed source.

The announcement of Daei’s dismissal who is the world record-holder scorer in international matches, came after his lacklustre performances as coach for the 2010 World Cup Asia’s qualifiers.

Iran, seeking a fourth appearance in the finals, are fourth in Group B with six points from five games managing only a win and three consecutive draws.

Daei’s dismissal became imminent after the national team’s 2-1 defeat in a home game against Saudi Arabia in front of almost 100,000 enthusiastic fans on Saturday.

Daei reacted angrily when local reporters on Saturday questioned whether he would resign after his poor performance to date as Iranian coach.

The former star was appointed to lead the national team in March 2008 after a months-long search for a new coach which also saw a dozen top foreign names mooted.

Daei, whose career included spells at Bayern Munich and Hertha Berlin, was unquestionably Iran’s most famous footballer ever.

He only retired fully from playing last year and until now has coached Tehran club side Saipa, who he led to the Iranian league title as a player-coach.

Daei scored a record 109 international goals in 148 appearances, outstripping greats like Pele and Ferenc Puskas, although admittedly against less demanding opponents.

Daei played a part in Iran’s greatest match – the 2-1 win over the United States at the World Cup in France 1998 – and was once named Asian footballer of the year.