Blazevic takes Iran to the World Cup, promises the 3rd spot again!

[BBB]

I hope he makes it!

[Mate]

Me too. I love Iran. I was there last year and folks are REALLY crazy about football.

Each time I started listing their players (Azizi, Zarincheh, Mahdavikia, AliDaei ...), I was accepted with lots of sympathy and offered drinks, invitations to homes ... The NT members are true national heros in Iran.

And the national TV program is so boring that football is the only interesting sort of program, what means that each time there is football on TV, the whole country is behind the screen.

Also, they do transmit CL and EURO matches, so that everybody knows everything about Manchester, Real, Lazio ...

When I was in Teheran, there was a match between Syria and Iran and there were still some tickets, so I was really sorry to have missed it (I heard for the match only some 30 min before it started ... and Teheran is REALLY huge) since they have a big stadium allowing attendance of about 100,000 crazy fans. I've never been on a stadium with more than 40,000 people!

Oh, yes, BBB, you'll probably want to know that when I arrived to Teheran Mehrabad airport and while waiting for slow Iranian customs to let me in, there was a broadcast about Davor Šuker on TV which everybody was watching thus killing time!

So, good luck to Iran, and good luck to Èiro (something I'd be very reluctant to say a while ago :D )!!!!!

[Mate]

One more interesting thing to mention to you, since you BBB are a Croat. Last year during my Middle East trip I also travelled to Yemen, which, compared to Iran, is way more underdeveloped, and also more conservative country (Iran, at least in big towns, has more Western feeling than any Arab country, it resembles Turkey in a way, with that exception that all women have covered hair). Yemen is a semi-desert country and desert bedouin villages are really poor. But twice I saw two guys wearing Croatian NT's dress with number nine! Nobody understood any English word there, but just mentioning Šuker was enough ... They were really proud to wear Davor's dress, I was only wondering WHERE and HOW did they get it ... in a village so poor that a single pair of shoes represented quite a wealth.

[Red&Black]

Originally posted by Mate
(Iran, at least in big towns, has more Western feeling than any Arab country, it resembles Turkey in a way, with that exception that all women have covered hair).



Iran is not an Arab country !

[Mate]

Sure. :cool: I wanted to emphasize the difference between Iran and the Arab world. :)

[PFC]

.. Off to a flying start isn't he ? Haha can't believe Iran lost to Canada..:D

[BBB]

Oh well,you don't have to lough,not just yet. As for Kezman, I consider him one of the best forwards in Europe and I'll visit the site!

[Mate]

Iran and Æiro are coming to Slovenia (Maribor) at the beginning of July. I think it's too hot for Blaževiæ in Iran ...

[Matthias]

I "love" Iran????? ahhahahahahahhaha are you a Muslim or something? Also, why would you go to Iran? Isn't it dangerous or something? Even my iranian friend who loves his country doesn't want to go back!!

[Mihajloviç]

Hahahaha
This is hilarious, I never saw this post before ...
anyway, if he does manage to get 3rd place in the WC with Iran, I think he'd be crowned nothing short of a sensation. It would be like Maribor winning the Champions Leauge :D

[Matthias]

hey that was a cheap shot! God Dammit can YOU ever leave Slovenia out of it!

It would be amazing if a Serbian club won too!!!! They are no better then Maribors Champions League team from 1999

[Matthias]

BTW I think he meant 3rd spot in Asia not in World..... Johan

[Mihajloviç]

hehe, I know they're no better ... :)

But anyway ... I don't think so, Iran is probably already the best team in Asia, and I don't think any Iranian would be satisfied with a 3rd place in Asia (if that even exists :D) ... I'm quite sure he meant the WC.

[Matthias]

no, thats how they qualified for 1998 WC, they finished third in Asia (don't ask me how):confused: and then they had a play-off with Australia, and they won, giving them a place in WC

In weaker continents, only 2 or 3 out of maybe a 100 nations will qualify so their system is quite complicated.

But its better that way, this allows for the better stronger euro teams to qualify, making the WC interesting.:ronaldo:

[Matthias]

I just wish that more european teams could qualify, I mean in our group 1, at least three teams should qualify, Serbia, Slovenija, and Russia. These teams are all worthy of qualification, but as it turns out, perhaps only 1 or 2 teams from this group will actually qualify.

"Mojster ostaja Mostjer"

[Mihajloviç]

Yes , that's true ... I completely forgot about the Aussie - Iran game that gave the Iranians birth in the WC :)

You're also right ... there are many good teams that MIGHT not qualify for the WC (Holland, Portugal, Norway), and from our group Russia is there for sure, and we will battle for 2nd place, eventually going on to the playoffs. So really...whoever makes it in second, has only finished half the battle :)

[Matthias]

Hey, that's why I love football!!!!

Well, it's either you or us.......... only one can survive, unless Russia screws up :ronaldo:

On paper, Serbia is the better team, but right now, on the field Slovenia is playing better.

[Mihajloviç]

I don't know what the problem is with our team. When Djoric was there, we were playing excellent, and were unlucky not to win all of our games (most of the goals we conceeded came in the 85. - 90. min...eg : Zahovic). Now with Dejo, we are playing like shi*, however we do get the results...

Remember ... you still have to play Russia, in Moscow and us in Beograd...that will be tough, while we only have one more away match in Switzerland.

[Matthias]

Actually Russia are coming to Ljubljana, we played them in Moscow already with a 1-1 result. (we could have won that match too appearently)

Yes that match in Beograd will be the toughest and it will probably determine who will go "ahead"......am I sweating??...... .......nah! :ronaldo:

And for the new coach, I thought that he was a replacement for the old shitty coach??? Now he's shitty too??

[Mihajloviç]

The old "shitty" coach, was not really so shitty...he just couldn't get us the results ... but if he would have gotten us good results we would have treated him like god :)
He only played the youngsters ...

Now we have Savicevic ... and this is his first coaching experience and quite frankly I want him gone ... I never liked Savicevic, and I can't stand the fact that he's our coach :)

Hopefully one day, we'll get a good coach, and what might sound impossible ... a good goalie :)

[Matthias]

Coaching is extremely important definetely. Just take a look at the Slovene National Team! Srecko Katanec has done an amazing job with a team of players that usually sit on the bench with their clubs, and he has taken them to levels where they can beat anybody. Probably the only thing that seperates Slovenija now with the elite teams is the ability to DEFEND A LEAD e.g (JUG-SLO EP 2000) or (FRA - SLO 3-2) it was only a friendly, but that one was right before the Euro Cup, and Slovenia were winning 2-0! in ten minutes!!

As for Yugoslavia, they are definetely playing below their abilities, and they probably are missing a coach or a goalie.....but then again thats football!!!

[Mate]

Originally posted by Matthias
I "love" Iran????? ahhahahahahahhaha are you a Muslim or something? Also, why would you go to Iran? Isn't it dangerous or something? Even my iranian friend who loves his country doesn't want to go back!!

He didn't want to go back same way some Serbs didn't want to go back while Cika Slobo was in pover and same way some (rare) Slovenians didn't want to go back during the communism. Otherwise, Iran is a great country, full of historic places and friendly people. You may think whatever you want, but I was there and not you, and I know that I had great time there (despite I'm not a Muslim). It's amazing how people who've never been further than to Paris now try to persuade me that they know the Middle East better than me. Oh, BTW, when I mentioned Paris, I felt much less comfortable while walking through Pigalle than when in Teheran or Beirut.

[ItalianBoy]

Well I havet been there ,still I dont know about walking safely in Iran. I mean I think it depends WHERE!

[Matthias]

Originally posted by Mate


It's amazing how people who've never been further than to Paris now try to persuade me that they know the Middle East better than me. Oh, BTW, when I mentioned Paris, I felt much less comfortable while walking through Pigalle than when in Teheran or Beirut.

Actually, I have been in on almost every continent, exept for Asia. (doesn't appeal to me) But Vancouver, Canada is full of them, so I am not missing anything. :D

And yes, Paris, a world class metropolis, is more dangerous then Tehran and Beirut, two of the poorest places in the world.

In fact I heard one analyst on CNN compare the World Trade Center ruins to, '....the streets of downtown Beirut."

Are you a Roma by any chance??

[Mate]

I've seen downtown Beirut, it really was torn down at that time (though there are some billion-dollar plans of rebuilding), and probably still is. There had been very nasty fighting for almost 20 years, but at the time of my visit I felt safe (well, there was one big danger - crazy drivers) and fine. Food was good, Beirutis were friendly (everybody seems to regret the war events strongly), christian girls were beautiful (not much to see of the muslim ones), lots of interesting places to see ... all in all, despite all the devastation, I enjoyed my stay there. It certainly isn't the place to go honeymooning, but if one is open minded and at least a bit adventurous, he'll not regret visiting post-war Beirut.

Safety is a strange term. Soooooo many people fear flying, but once aboard, your chances of being crashed are 10, 100 or maybe even 1000 times less than when you go for a 200 km car ride. But nobody has fear of driving. It's more less the same with the Middle East cities. Their crime statistics are much lower than for Paris, London, or (not to mention) New York. I gues right now I'd feel a little uncomfortable in most ME countries (and in no case I'd go to Pakistan right now), but once this war is finished - and once will be, let it be in 2 months or 2 decades - these will be great places to travel again.

[ItalianBoy]

Roma? what do you mean?
And yes, theyr crime rate is low cuz
1) they got nothing to steal
2) they are all criminals! HAAHHAAHHA :evil: :eek: :smoking: :rolling: ;)

[Matthias]

Originally posted by Mate
I've seen downtown Beirut, it really was torn down at that time (though there are some billion-dollar plans of rebuilding), and probably still is. There had been very nasty fighting for almost 20 years, but at the time of my visit I felt safe (well, there was one big danger - crazy drivers) and fine. Food was good, Beirutis were friendly (everybody seems to regret the war events strongly), christian girls were beautiful (not much to see of the muslim ones), lots of interesting places to see ... all in all, despite all the devastation, I enjoyed my stay there. It certainly isn't the place to go honeymooning, but if one is open minded and at least a bit adventurous, he'll not regret visiting post-war Beirut.

Safety is a strange term. Soooooo many people fear flying, but once aboard, your chances of being crashed are 10, 100 or maybe even 1000 times less than when you go for a 200 km car ride. But nobody has fear of driving. It's more less the same with the Middle East cities. Their crime statistics are much lower than for Paris, London, or (not to mention) New York. I gues right now I'd feel a little uncomfortable in most ME countries (and in no case I'd go to Pakistan right now), but once this war is finished - and once will be, let it be in 2 months or 2 decades - these will be great places to travel again.

You must be a half-breed right?

I agree with Haider 100% to keep them out

[Matthias]

Originally posted by ItalianBoy
Roma? what do you mean?
And yes, theyr crime rate is low cuz
1) they got nothing to steal
2) they are all criminals! HAAHHAAHHA :evil: :eek: :smoking: :rolling: ;)

I mean Gypsies, you know.....
their crime rate low?!
The term Gypsy is synonymus with crime

[ItalianBoy]

oo the gypsies, wwll its not like its the majority of the people, and I was refering to Beirut and Theran.

[Mate]

Well Mathias, if Jorg Haider is your idol, then change your location from Maribor to Marburg first. Haider is a very unpopular person here.

On the other hand, if you wanted to emphasize, that people of Arab or African origin are the main source of crime in the Western world, you are certainly right to some extent. When I said that I felt safer in Teheran than in Paris, I meant those quarters of Paris where Arabs and Africans live.

What is the reason that these people (vast, vast majority) behave honestly and wellcoming towards foreigners while in Beirut, but when they move to Italy or France they become street criminals, gangsters, and even terrorist cells' leaders, is another question. Some - those, who love Mr Jorg for example - will say Arabs are genetically determined to be lazy, nasty and bad, others, including me, will explain it through social problems. This certainly isn't a topic for the worldsoccerboard, and if you wanted to promote rasism here, than do it for yourself, since I'll end my contribution to this thread here, returning to the point where we started: Blaževiè takes Iran, promises 3rd spot again. Tomorrow Iran plays the key match and I wish them good luck. People I met last year in Iran were really mad about soccer and they deserve World Cup.

Thanks for your attention!

[Matthias]

Is he my idol? Not exactly. However, I do respect him. As for him being unpopular in Slovenia, you are correct. The reason for this is because of WW2 Yugoslav AVNOJ decrees that treated Germans living in Yugoslavia (most of whom were living in present day Slovenia) very unfairly. The decrees were basically etnic cleansing. That's why Haider is angered by the Slovene Government. I can sympathize with him.

And as to why Non-Europeans are prone to crime? Genetics, brat moj!

[Traveler~]

Iran-Bahrain
1-3 :(

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