Esteghlal boss Bozovic on the brink after Foolad defeat
Montenegrin head coach Miodrag Bozovic could see his reign on Esteghlal bench come to a premature end in the coming days after the Tehran Blues suffered a 1-0 defeat against Foolad Khuzestan at home in the Persian Gulf Pro League on Thursday.
Foolad midfielder Masoud Sarabadani scored the only goal of the contest with nine minutes from normal time at the Azadi Stadium, finding the net on the rebound after his initial effort from the spot was saved by Esteghlal keeper Seyyed Hossein Hosseini.
A ninth defeat of the league season saw Esteghlal – four-time champion since the introduction of the Iranian Pro League in 2001 – sit 12th in the 16-team table with 28 points with five games remaining.
A fifth coach on Esteghlal bench this campaign, Bozovic is yet to claim a victory with the Blues, who have lost four in seven outings since the Montenegrin was appointed to the role in late February.
In a statement released on Friday, the club described the latest defeat and the poor run of late as “unacceptable”, adding: “The results in recent week will not go unnoticed by the club’s management and board.”
“Understanding the current situation and acknowledging the justified criticism from fans and former players, the club will make prompt decisions,” added the statement.
Mehr News Agency reported earlier on Friday that former Esteghlal midfielder Mojtaba Jabbari, who joined Bozovic’s coaching staff in late March, is likely to replace the Montenegrin for the rest of the season.
Esteghlal could still finish a dreadful campaign with silverware as the Blues are pitted against second-tier club Paykan in the Iranian Hazfi Cup quarterfinals.