Mohammad Mayelikohan named Iran new coach

Less than 10 days after sacking its national football team coach, Iran on Monday named Mohammad Mayelikohan as its new coach to try and revive their faltering 2010 World Cup finals qualifying campaign, the ISNA news agency reported.

Iran’s former coach Ali Daei was sacked following its defeat against Saudi Arabia in an Asian 2010 World Cup qualifier, seriously harming their chances of reaching a fourth successive World Cup finals.

“Mohammad Mayelikohan has been appointed by the Iranian football federation’s management,” The chairman of the Iranian football federation Ali Kafashian was quoted by the agency.

Mayelikohan in the first step has to face North and South Korea in away matches and United Arab Emirates in Tehran in its qualifying campaign.

Group B is currently topped by South Korea with 11 points from five games, trailed by their northern neighbour who has bagged 10 points from six games and in third place is Saudi Arabia who also has 10 points from six games but with a fewer goals.

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, is fourth in Group B with six points from five games managing only a win and three consecutive draws.

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.

Iran has appeared in the 1978, 1998 and 2006 World Cup finals.