Tweet
Clemente won't live in Iran, loses job
Posted: Wednesday February 20, 2008 10:27AM; Updated: Wednesday February 20, 2008 10:27AM
MADRID, Spain (AP) -- Javier Clemente's refusal to live full-time in Iran eventually cost him the nation's top soccer job.
Iran and Clemente parted ways after the Spaniard declined to reside permanently in the country rather than just travel to Iran before matches.
"Since the first day I was very clear that I wasn't going to live there, in Tehran,'' Clemente said in Wednesday's edition of AS newspaper. "I told them I would always be there for the time that was needed to do the job with the team and a little more if needed. They didn't understand.''
Ali Kaffashian, head of Iran's football federation, said Clemente refused to sign an addendum to his contract allowing him to leave Iran only twice a year for vacation.
"Not respecting the signature and the pact is reason enough (for it not to work),'' Clemente said. "They wanted to change the conditions of the contract, but only in the part that benefited them. I respected the agreement. They didn't.
"After they changed the contract 30 times, I felt like I was wasting my time and I eventually was bored by it all. I'm not going to coach in Iran.''
Clemente was prepared to commute from his villa in northern Spain for training sessions. He said he could study games on DVD at home before arriving in Iran 10 days before matches.
Iran insisted it wanted a resident coach.
"Under the present circumstances, we intend to employ an Iranian head coach. We will name a homegrown head coach next week,'' Kaffashian was quoted by IRNA as saying. "We didn't want a remote control coach.''
Iran remains without a head coach despite the 2010 World Cup qualifiers being under way. Amir Ghalenoei led the team until it was eliminated from the Asian Cup quarterfinals in July.
Kafashian said he will be looking for a foreign coach to take over after the initial round of 2010 qualifiers.
Clemente had been looking forward to coaching Iran.
"It could have been a good job, but if you can't respect the pact from the start then it's better not to go,'' the former Marseille coach said. "I feel like I could have worked with Iran for its fans. They welcomed me with open arms.''
Clemente coached Serbia before being fired last December after the team failed to qualify for the 2008 European Championship. He also coached Spanish league teams Atletico Madrid, Real Betis, Espanyol and Athletic Bilbao. He coached Spain from 1992-1998.
Posted: Wednesday February 20, 2008 10:27AM; Updated: Wednesday February 20, 2008 10:27AM
MADRID, Spain (AP) -- Javier Clemente's refusal to live full-time in Iran eventually cost him the nation's top soccer job.
Iran and Clemente parted ways after the Spaniard declined to reside permanently in the country rather than just travel to Iran before matches.
"Since the first day I was very clear that I wasn't going to live there, in Tehran,'' Clemente said in Wednesday's edition of AS newspaper. "I told them I would always be there for the time that was needed to do the job with the team and a little more if needed. They didn't understand.''
Ali Kaffashian, head of Iran's football federation, said Clemente refused to sign an addendum to his contract allowing him to leave Iran only twice a year for vacation.
"Not respecting the signature and the pact is reason enough (for it not to work),'' Clemente said. "They wanted to change the conditions of the contract, but only in the part that benefited them. I respected the agreement. They didn't.
"After they changed the contract 30 times, I felt like I was wasting my time and I eventually was bored by it all. I'm not going to coach in Iran.''
Clemente was prepared to commute from his villa in northern Spain for training sessions. He said he could study games on DVD at home before arriving in Iran 10 days before matches.
Iran insisted it wanted a resident coach.
"Under the present circumstances, we intend to employ an Iranian head coach. We will name a homegrown head coach next week,'' Kaffashian was quoted by IRNA as saying. "We didn't want a remote control coach.''
Iran remains without a head coach despite the 2010 World Cup qualifiers being under way. Amir Ghalenoei led the team until it was eliminated from the Asian Cup quarterfinals in July.
Kafashian said he will be looking for a foreign coach to take over after the initial round of 2010 qualifiers.
Clemente had been looking forward to coaching Iran.
"It could have been a good job, but if you can't respect the pact from the start then it's better not to go,'' the former Marseille coach said. "I feel like I could have worked with Iran for its fans. They welcomed me with open arms.''
Clemente coached Serbia before being fired last December after the team failed to qualify for the 2008 European Championship. He also coached Spanish league teams Atletico Madrid, Real Betis, Espanyol and Athletic Bilbao. He coached Spain from 1992-1998.