In 2002, a famous revolution was certainly about to happen at Manchester United as Sir Alex Ferguson surprisingly appointed Carlos Queiroz as his assistant manager. Criticisms roamed in the roads of Manchester over the decision of appointing unproven Queiroz, who had managed the international sides of the United Arab Emirates and South Africa at that point of time, for such a prestigious post in the history of English football, but Ferguson opted to stick with his bold decision.
In such a lengthy spell at United, Ferguson reached just four Champions League final and won only two. At the time of Queiroz appointment, Ferguson’s United reached Champions league final only once in the Scot’s 16-year spell at Manchester and the Portuguese’s appointment was certainly meant to erase the bitter moments tasted by United at the elite level of European football.
In order to replicate United’s Premier League form to the European level, Queiroz took charge at Manchester with the clear, well-focused, long-term visions. Queiroz grabbed the Premier League title from Arsenal in his debut season in England; the efficiency of the Portuguese had granted him the head coach duty at Real Madrid in the following summer, but Queiroz’s debut season at the Spanish capital was clearly a failure and as the outcome, he chose the option of returning to United in 2004.
When Queiroz’s returned to Manchester for the second spell, lot of changes were smelt at United camp as the side has been seeking for the much needed transformation. Wayne Rooney was signed from Everton and Crisitano Ronaldo already had spent a season at United by this time. Nicky Butt, Roy Keane, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Phil Neville have all given the green light to go. It seems inevitable that it was Queiroz who introduced the concept of inverted wingers. Queiroz tested his approach with Ronaldo to play in the left, who was a right winger by profession. As a result, Ronaldo won the European Golden Boot in 2008, becoming the first winger to do so. Grooming the youngsters in a very positive way, Queiroz won the Champions League for United in 2008.
“Carlos Queiroz was brilliant. Just brilliant. Outstanding. An intelligent, meticulous man. He was good for me. He was a Rottweiler. He was the closest you could be to being the Manchester United manager without actually holding the title,” Ferguson praised Queiroz in his biography.
Carlos Queiroz had been considered as the successor of Ferguson but the Portuguese tactician wasn’t made up to deny the call from the Portugal Football Federation to take over the international team in 2008. Queiroz’s Portugal were qualified for the World Cup 2010 by beating Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play offs. Portugal were beaten by Spain in the Round of 16 stage of the tournament.
Being sacked by Portuguese Football Federation in 2010, Quiroz was appointed as coach of Iran National Football Team in 2011. Iran, under Queiroz played some top quality football in the qualifiers and sealed the automatic qualification for the world cup, being announced as the group winners.
Queiroz added foreign players to strengthen his Iran side, with Ashkan Dejagah, Reja Ghoochannejhad being the notable names included.
Queiroz’s Iran have been preferring a defensive style of approach in the world cup and they’re implementing it perfectly with the rich amount of passion and style. Team Melli stood as a collective defensive unit against Nigeria and produced a well-equipped, 0-0 draw.
Iran produced yet another excellent defensive performance yesterday against attacking Argentina, but it was Messi who took the head lines to break Iranian hearts in the first minute of added time with a superb solo goal.
Iran, still have the chances of progressing to the knock out stages, which is also very well dependent on the Argentina-Nigeria game in the last round of group stage fixtures.
Queiroz’s negative football with Iran might be criticized but the collective performance on the underrated battling unit on the pitch of Team Melli in this world cup deserves a big loud of applause.
