Enayati named Iran U23 head coach
Former Esteghlal striker Reza Enayati was named as the head coach of the Iranian under-23 national team.
The appointment comes after “national team manager Amir Qalenoei proposed Enayati for the job, which was approved by the Iranian Football Federation and the National Olympic Committee,” Mohammad-Mehdi Nabi, the vice-president of the sport’s governing body in the country, said on Sunday.
The decision ends months of speculations surrounding the vacant under-23 role since Mehdi Mahdavikia parted ways with the federation following a group exit at the AFC U23 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan last summer.
Enayati, 46, led Havadar to promotion to the Persian Gulf Pro League for the start of the 2021/22 season but left his job at the end of the campaign after finishing 11th in the Iranian top-flight.
Enayati will be tasked with leading his team in September’s qualifiers for the 2024 U23 Asian Cup – set to kick off in Qatar in April next year, which will also serve as the qualifying event for the 2024 Paris Olympics.