Esteghlal eyeing Seedorf for sporting director role: Report
Persian Gulf Pro League club Esteghlal is in talks with former Dutch international Clarence Seedorf regarding the sporting director job at the Iranian top-flight side, according to media reports in the country.
Widely regarded as one of the finest midfielders in the recent history of the game, Seedorf, 49, won numerous major trophies during an illustrious club career, including four UEFA Champions League titles with Ajax, Real Madrid, and Milan.
However, the Dutchman has had little success as a coach following his retirement in 2014. His most recent job came with Cameroon during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, where the Indomitable Lions were knocked out by Nigeria in the round of 16.
Capped on 87 occasions by the Dutch national team, Seedorf currently serves on the supervisory board of the Oranje.
Should the deal – reportedly worth $250,000 per year – go through, Seedorf will oversee all football operations at Esteghlal, including the appointment of a new head coach and player recruitment for the start of next season, which could mark a new era in the club’s management.
Lack of technical stability has cost Esteghlal dearly in a dreadful league campaign, with six different coaches in charge of the Blues bench during a nine-month period.
A four-time champion since the introduction of the Iranian Pro League in 2001, Esteghlal is eighth in the 16-team top-flight table with one game to play – courtesy of seven wins and nine defeats in 29 outings.
The Tehran Blues still aim to finish the season with silverware, as they will face second-tier club San’at Naft Abadan in the last-four round of the Hazfi Cup – the domestic cup competition – at home on May 24, with the winner taking on Golgohar Sirjan or Malavan in the final showpiece five days later.