One of the men who helped to build and shape an Iran team that stands on the brink of a first AFC Asian Cup title since 1976 believes that they are now the favourites to lift the title in Doha on Saturday.
Oceano Cruz was the long-term assistant to Carlos Queiroz with Team Melli and he told The Asian Game that he’s full of admiration for the way the team has played in Qatar.
“Things were relatively easy in the group stage, but against Syria in the Round of 16 Iran controlled that match, even with missing a lot of chances, but after the red card for Mehdi Taremi they knew how to defend that result.
“Against Japan, who I have massive respect for as one of the best nations in Asia, it was a fantastic result and in the second half also a fantastic performance.”
Cruz, now at the helm of Portugal’s U20 national team, said he was also delighted that a generation of players, many of whom started their careers during his time with Team Melli, are on the verge of returning to continental dominance.
“It gives me great pride to see players like Ramin (Rezaeian), (Hossein) Kanaani, Milad (Mohammadi), Saeid (Ezatolahi), Omid (Ebrahimi), all those players, including Sardar (Azmoun), (Mehdi) Taremi, Alireza (Jahanbakhsh), I think maybe only (Mohammad) Mohabi, but the rest are our players.
“I love these players and this is our team also and the kind of result like the Japan one shows that Iran should be the favourites now to win the Asian Cup.
“Qatar, as the host nation, will be difficult and Korea is also strong but the players now have the confidence and belief that they can beat anybody, that they can show everybody that they are the deserved favourites.
“Of course, in football being the favourites also comes with a different pressure and they need to accept that and learn how to defend, how to play in transition but I really believe Iran must be the favourites now.”
Watching from afar he may be, but Asian football still holds a special place in Cruz’s heart and he told The Asian Game that, despite currently working with some of the world’s best young players, he’d be happy to once again return to Asia at some point in the future.
“I wanted to return home and give back to my country and work with these great players and help to guide them in their careers.
“There are lots of great talents in Portugal, Gustavo Sa at Famalicao, Samuel Justo, who is such a great guy, Youssef Chermiti at Everton, Diego Moreira at Chelsea is fast with good technique, so many of these guys have bright futures.
“Now it just depends on how they adjust and react as they make the transition into professional football. They need to show how badly they want it and to do anything to make it.
“As for me, I’m happy where I am but sometimes I miss training every day the way you can with a club side. With a national team you have the players to train for maybe one or two weeks and then not for two or three months.
“If an opportunity came in the future to return to club football no matter where that is it’s something I would consider because you see now how much standards have improved right across the world and of course especially in Asia.”
Cruz admitted that he was surprised by Queiroz’s sudden departure from the Qatar national team on the eve of the Asian Cup but repeated his belief that even with the host nation – and defending champion – still a looming threat that Iran must display a ruthless nature to book their place in what would be a first final in almost 50 years.
“I enjoyed my time working with Carlos, it was an opportunity to learn from one of the best coaches in the world and he gave me the liberty to make my own decisions, but everything comes at the right moment and now is the time for me to work alone and put into action my way of seeing things.
“As for what happened with Carlos in Qatar, of course that was a surprise and I don’t understand why things happened the way they did but now is Iran’s moment where they must show belief.
“You look at Japan beating Germany recently or Saudi Arabia beating Argentina at the last World Cup, these results show what Asian teams can achieve but it needs to happen more often and that comes with belief.
“Luiz Felipe Scolari has an expression ‘mata-mata’ which translates as kill or be killed and now Iran must show this mentality and this belief to win the Asian Cup.”
Photo: Asian Football Confederation
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