Iran players hoping Queiroz new contract can be agreed
Iran coach Carlos Queiroz is set to leave his post at the end of the World Cup – but Karim Ansarifard hopes he can be persuaded to stay.
Karim Ansarifard has urged the football authorities in Iran to make sure that coach Carlos Queiroz stays with the team after the World Cup. Queiroz led Iran to their first World Cup win in 20 years, and only the second in their history, with a 1-0 victory over Morocco on Friday, when Aziz Bouhaddouz's own goal secured three points. The former Real Madrid coach, who has been in charge since April 2011, announced that he would step down from his role at the end of the tournament after only being offered a six-month extension to his contract.
Iran top Group B
Striker Ansarifard thinks Queiroz deserves to stay in charge and told reporters: "We have one of the most fantastic coaches in the world. He fights for us and he teaches us and we learn something from him every day, and for sure it's a good opportunity if we can keep him in our team because we are still learning from him. We hope he will stay and we will pray that he will stay because now after seven years he's one of us and he has tried to give everything to our national team. He deserves to stay with us and make all of the Iranian people proud."
Iran continue their Group B campaign when they face Portugal in Kazan on Wednesday.