A B C D
E F G H
Iran has heavy task ahead
"I know everybody in Iran thinks this team is able to win," said Ivic, hired Jan. 15 to replace Valdir Vierra.
Iran plays exhibition games against Guingamp next Tuesday and Nantes on March 20. Both play in France's first division.
"If I succeed in finding good reserve players, I can pull off surprises," Ivic said this week. "One of the weakest points is the lack of experience at the highest level."
The camp in France will allow him to work for the first time with German-based players Ali Daei and Karim Bagheri (Armenia Bielefeld), and Khadadad Azizi (FC Cologne).
Iran, which qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1978, will have a camp at home next month prepare for a tournament in Tehran from April 20-22 with Georgia, Hungary and Jamaica. The team leaves for Europe in mid-May and will play exhibition games at Internazionale of Milan on May 23 and against Croatia at Zagreb on June 3.
"Physically, the players are not at such a high level professionally as in the European leagues," he said. "The organization in defense is not good enough and in front of goal they need to create more chances. In the short time I have I must work on those points."
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GROUP A: Brazil, Morocco, Norway, Scotland
GROUP B: Austria, Cameroon, Chile, Italy
GROUP C: Denmark, France, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
GROUP D: Bulgaria, Nigeria, Paraguay, Spain
GROUP E: Belgium, Holland, Mexico, South Korea
GROUP F: Germany, Iran, United States, Yugoslavia
GROUP G: Colombia, England, Romania, Tunisia
GROUP H: Argentina, Croatia, Jamaica, Japan