Iran NT 2021

    Vladimir Alekno finally announced his first list of 27 players for the VNL and most probably the Olympics. I think the order isn't just random. I believe that shows which players are more likely to make the final squad.


    Setter:

    Saeid Marouf (Beijing - China)

    Mohammad Taher Vadi (Urmia)

    Mohammad Javad Karimi (Maaseik - Belgium)

    Ali Ramezani (Haraz)


    Opposite:

    Amir Ghafour (Bursa Buyuksehir - Turkey)

    Saber Kazemi (Foolad Sirjan)

    Pouria Yali (Urmia)

    Bardia Saadat (Nis - Serbia)

    Amin Esmaeilnejad (Saipa)


    OH:

    Milad Ebadipour (Belchatow - Poland)

    Pouria Fayyazi (Urmia)

    Meysam Salehi (Urmia)

    Salim Cheperli (Shahdab Yazd)

    Amir Hossein Esfandiar (Maaseik - Belgium)

    Mohammad Javad Manavinejad (Saipa)

    Morteza Sharifi (Urmia)

    Esmaeil Mosafer (Paykan)


    MB:

    Mohammad Mousavi (Piacenza - Italy)

    Masoud Gholami (Urmia)

    Ali Shafiei (Saipa)

    Ali Asghar Mojarrad (Sepahan)

    Amir Hossein Toukhteh (ACH - Slovenia)

    Reza Abedini (Shahdab Yazd)

    Mehran Feyz (Urmia)


    Libero:

    Mohammad Reza Hazratpour (Urmia)

    Mehdi Marandi (Sepahan)

    Arman Salehi (Gonbad)


    * Mojtaba Mirzajanpour had a serious injury and has to rest after the surgery

    * Farhad Ghaemi was in the original list but he said he wants to retire from the national team. (at least temporarily since he got married recently)

    I´m sure yesterday those players were supporting Zaksa Kozle in Champions League:lol:. Alekno said if they qualified to the Champions League final, Iranian players would had to do a training camp in Kazan so that he could train Zenit Kazan and Iran NT at the same time.

    Quote from bvolley

    I´m sure yesterday those players were supporting Zaksa Kozle in Champions League:lol:. Alekno said if they qualified to the Champions League final, Iranian players would had to do a training camp in Kazan so that he could train Zenit Kazan and Iran NT at the same time.

    don't know about the players but I'm sure IRIVF officials are happy with this :cheesy: they also waited exactly for Zenit's elimination to announce the roster. maybe it had something to do with some players wanting (or not wanting) to go to Russia.


    training two teams at the same time?! that's weird:whistle::down:

    Amir Ghafour had a terrible season in Turkey. Was he coming back from an injury?

    Quote from serdar

    Amir Ghafour had a terrible season in Turkey. Was he coming back from an injury?

    back injury and most importantly "not playing" for more than a year. when he played first for Bursa that was his first match after something like 18 months! :aww:


    he was clubless in Iran for the reason nobody knows ! probably waiting too much for a better offer from Europe. :wall: I won't be surprised if he loses his starting position in the NT, he may not even make it to the Olympics.


    I can't understand why but Iranian players never do good in Turkey, that also happens in other sports, Turkey is culturally much more closer to Iran (and geographically of course) some of them even understand the language (Sharifi for example)

    Quote from mosi

    back injury and most importantly "not playing" for more than a year. when he played first for Bursa that was his first match after something like 18 months! :aww:


    he was clubless in Iran for the reason nobody knows ! probably waiting too much for a better offer from Europe. :wall: I won't be surprised if he loses his starting position in the NT, he may not even make it to the Olympics.


    I can't understand why but Iranian players never do good in Turkey, that also happens in other sports, Turkey is culturally much more closer to Iran (and geographically of course) some of them even understand the language (Sharifi for example)

    Sharifi did good last year though. Ghafour’s team was a mess and was already close to elimination prior to his arrival, he was better compare to his predecessor even in his bad shape, they also transfered a young promising setter but it was too late.

    Can you comment on Vadi vs Karimi, and Kazemi vs Yali?


    For OH, Ebadipour and Fayyazi should be sure-in. Who else out of other OHs do you think has a higher chance of going to Tokyo?

    Quote from mosi

    back injury and most importantly "not playing" for more than a year. when he played first for Bursa that was his first match after something like 18 months! :aww:


    he was clubless in Iran for the reason nobody knows ! probably waiting too much for a better offer from Europe. :wall: I won't be surprised if he loses his starting position in the NT, he may not even make it to the Olympics.


    I can't understand why but Iranian players never do good in Turkey, that also happens in other sports, Turkey is culturally much more closer to Iran (and geographically of course) some of them even understand the language (Sharifi for example)

    IIRC, Ghafour has been suffering from injuries almost every year in the past 6-7 years?

    Quote from mosi

    back injury and most importantly "not playing" for more than a year. when he played first for Bursa that was his first match after something like 18 months! :aww:


    he was clubless in Iran for the reason nobody knows ! probably waiting too much for a better offer from Europe. :wall: I won't be surprised if he loses his starting position in the NT, he may not even make it to the Olympics.


    I can't understand why but Iranian players never do good in Turkey, that also happens in other sports, Turkey is culturally much more closer to Iran (and geographically of course) some of them even understand the language (Sharifi for example)

    Sharifi had a great season, both this season and previous one. He was by far the best server of the league😍

    Quote from andrea

    Can you comment on Vadi vs Karimi, and Kazemi vs Yali?


    For OH, Ebadipour and Fayyazi should be sure-in. Who else out of other OHs do you think has a higher chance of going to Tokyo?

    I didn't watch much of Karimi this year, Vadi was OK but still he got outplayed by grandpa Behboudi in the Iranian league final. it will be hard pick for Alekno between these two guys. they are both average IMO. Iran has serious problems in this position, if I'm not wrong almost half of the teams in the league are using +40 years old setters. :aww: that's crazy.


    Yali also had an average season. most Urmia fans consider him the reason they failed the superleague final. but on the other hand Kazemi was in another level for the whole season. his club won the title (despite finishing 4th in the regular season) and he is the only player from that team to make the 27-man roster!!!!! that just shows what a big role he played for his club.


    he was disappeared in Turkey and missed the next season (the unfinished one) because of a surgery but he came out a different player this year. if he can keep that level in international competitions he will even grab the starting position from Ghafour. no doubt he is ahead of Yali right now.


    Fayyazi had a knee injury forced him to rest during the playoffs (they called up Sharifi from Turkey but he didn't help them much) but apparently that's not serious. if he is healthy he and Ebadipour are a lock as you said. I believe Meysam Salehi will get the 3rd OH position. you probably don't know him (he played for the NT before but briefly) but he also had a great season. saved Urmia so many times and benched Sharifi early in the season forcing him to leave the club and go to Turkey. Salehi is better than all other Iranian OHs in spiking but his defense is poor.

    I don't like Mosafer and Cheperli (and surprised to see them in the list) but they are better receivers comparing to Manavi and Esfandiar. Mirzajanpour is not completely out yet. he was having a great season until the injury. he will miss the VNL but may recover in time for the Olympics. (even though I doubt Alekno waits too much for him)


    as for Ghafour I only remember one major injury (this back injury while he was in Lube) but I might be wrong.

    Quote from serdar

    Sharifi had a great season, both this season and previous one. He was by far the best server of the league😍

    this is interesting because he didn't play well this season in our league! :/


    Sharifi (and other guys from Urmia) understands Turkish language quite well. maybe that helped him adjusting easily to the situation in Turkey. because other guys like Ghaemi and Kazemi weren't any good there. Kazemi completely disappeared in Turkey. most people don't even remember Kazemi was in the NT only 2.5 years ago! :lol:

    Quote from mosi

    this is interesting because he didn't play well this season in our league! :/


    Sharifi (and other guys from Urmia) understands Turkish language quite well. maybe that helped him adjusting easily to the situation in Turkey. because other guys like Ghaemi and Kazemi weren't any good there. Kazemi completely disappeared in Turkey. most people don't even remember Kazemi was in the NT only 2.5 years ago! :lol:

    I was very impressed whenever I've watched Sharifi in last two season. He is soooo explosive in both attacking and serve! And he is still young! I hope he will come back to turkish league!

    Thanks for the analysis. I think Iran can only afford to bring one OH who is good at offense but weak in reception / defense. Looking forward to watching Salehi's performance at VNL.

    Quote from andrea

    Thanks for the analysis. I think Iran can only afford to bring one OH who is good at offense but weak in reception / defense. Looking forward to watching Salehi's performance at VNL.

    I think so, reception should be the key


    this is highlight of the 3rd final (I mean the last match of best of 3 final) between Urmia and Sirjan, if you check the list Urmia has so many players in the 27-man list while Sirjan has just Kazemi.

    it wasn't probably the best match of Salehi, he was a bit tired the final series still he was their topscorer with 23.



    match report of the match, to know who is who

    https://volleyball.ir/wp-conte…1%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86-1.pdf

    Hard to tell from the match highlight, but it's obvious that Kazemi is the MVP of the match, causing so much trouble at serving and spiking.


    It's my first time watching an Iranian league match. My impression is that there're no long rallies and very rare quick spikes? The NT style seems different.

    Quote from andrea

    Hard to tell from the match highlight, but it's obvious that Kazemi is the MVP of the match, causing so much trouble at serving and spiking.


    It's my first time watching an Iranian league match. My impression is that there're no long rallies and very rare quick spikes? The NT style seems different.

    I don't think I noticed such a thing. maybe only these 2 teams and maybe just in that match, I think even this match had some long rallies, probably whoever made the highlights wasn't into long rallies :lol:

    Alekno is started to make his list shorter. he already dropped some players and today he made the list even shorter by dropping Amir Hossein Toukhteh, Javad Karimi and Pourya Yali ! (and some other names)


    I think lots of people expecting Karimi to be the 2nd setter in Tokyo. crossing his name even before VNL was surprising.

    and Yali was the starting Opposite for a long time. but obviously Iran has better options now.

    Quote from mosi

    Alekno is started to make his list shorter. he already dropped some players and today he made the list even shorter by dropping Amir Hossein Toukhteh, Javad Karimi and Pourya Yali ! (and some other names)


    I think lots of people expecting Karimi to be the 2nd setter in Tokyo. crossing his name even before VNL was surprising.

    and Yali was the starting Opposite for a long time. but obviously Iran has better options now.

    Thanks for the news. Can you provide the shortened list here?

    Quote from andrea

    Thanks for the news. Can you provide the shortened list here?

    actually I lost track of who is there and who is not, because IRIVF only publishes the list of players who should leave the camp. (and it happened one by one) they don't bother to publish the list of remaining players :wall: there were some COVID positive cases at the start and they had to call up few new players. so I'm not really sure who is there. but let me try. I think I'm accurate with the list but I'm not sure.


    Setter: Marouf, Vadi

    Opposite: Ghafour, Kazemi, Saadat

    OH: Ebadipour, Fayyazi, Salehi, Esfandiar, Manavinejad, Sharifi

    MB: Mousavi, M.Gholami, Shafiei, Mojarrad, Abedini

    Libero: Hazratpour, Marandi, Salehi


    it doesn't make sense to keep only 2 setters in the team at this stage. maybe I missed something.

    Alekno's 17-man squad for the VNL (he dropped Sharifi and Marandi from that list above)


    Setter: Marouf, Vadi

    Opposite: Ghafour, Kazemi, Saadat

    OH: Ebadipour, Fayyazi, M.Salehi, Esfandiar, Manavinejad

    MB: Mousavi, M.Gholami, Shafiei, Mojarrad, Abedini

    Libero: Hazratpour, A.Salehi