Countdown is on for Iran volleyball coach appointment
The long wait for the announcement of Iran’s new volleyball national team coach could come to an end within the next couple of weeks after the sport’s governing body in the country stepped up the pursuit of a replacement for Behrouz Ataei in recent days.
The job has been vacant since October, when Ataei stepped down following a 3-1 defeat against the Czech Republic midway through the FIVB Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Rio de Janeiro.
Rumors and speculations have been swirling over Iran’s bench in recent months but the Iranain Volleyball Federation on Tuesday unveiled a final four-man shortlist for the post.
Former Iran skipper and world-class setter Saeed Ma’rouf is joined by three high-profile coaches in Belgian Vital Heynen and Italian duo Angelo Lorenzetti and Roberto Piazza in the list of candidates.
Widely regarded as a one of the best setters in the world for more than a decade, Ma’rouf will be looking to build on an illustrious playing career, if given the helm, though many believe that the role may come a bit too soon for the 38-year-old, who has had no coaching experience since retiring from the sport after the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Heynen is probably the most exciting name on the list for the volleyball fans in Iran.
The 54-year-old Belgian led Germany to the bronze medal at the 2014 World Championships before his storied three-year spell on Poland’s bench inspired the European heavyweight to the world title in 2018, as well as a silver and a bronze at the Volleyball Nations League.
The Iranians, however, would best remember the Belgian for coaching the Poles in some entertaining encounters with their national side over the years – including a five-set thriller won by the Asian powerhouse in Tokyo.
Lorenzetti, meanwhile, is the latest coach to enter the fray after an online negotiation with Vahid Moradi, the caretaker of the federation, earlier this week.
An ex-head coach of the Italian under-21 team, Lorenzetti, 59, has spent the best part of his managerial career with the clubs in his home country – including Modena, Verona, Piacenza, and Trentino Itas.
The Italian steered Sir Sicoma Perugia to the Club World Champs crown earlier in December, thanks to a straight-set victory over Brazil’s Itambe Minas in the final in Bangalore, India.
Piazza, 64, the Netherlands’ coach in the Olympic qualifiers, has also been approached by Iran but, like his fellow Italian, is committed to club duty with Allianz Milano in the Italian league, which could rule him out of contention for the job.
The new coach, whoever he might be, will be tasked with leading Iran to a place in next summer’s Paris Olympics – a daunting challenge following a disappointing run in October’s qualifiers, which saw the Asian giant finish second from bottom in the seven-team table.
With Germany, Brazil, Poland, Canada, USA, and Japan guaranteed an Olympic quota – courtesy of a top-two finish across the qualification pools – and Egypt likely to take the African berth, the four remaining slots will be decided through the FIVB Men’s World Ranking by the end of the Volleyball Nations League preliminary round in June.
As it stands in the ranking, Italy (third), Argentina (sixth), Slovenia (seventh), and Serbia (ninth) are the favorites to qualify, with Iran lagging behind in the 15th place.
Iran will be back in Rio de Janeiro on May 21 for the VNL Week 1, before heading to Japan for the second week and concluding the preliminary phase with a Week 3 visit to Manila, the Philippines.