Hansa Rostock's Shapourzadeh, Ghalehnoei in talks over national football team

IRNA - Hansa Rostock's Amir Shapourzadeh confirmed that he had recently met with Iranian national football team coach Amir Ghalehnoei in Germany amid earlier Iranian news reports about a possible invitation of the Iranian midfielder to Team Melli.

"I held talks with Ghalehnoei last weekend in Rostock. The meeting was generally aimed at getting better acquainted. There were no concrete discussions about joining the Iranian national football team," Shapourzadeh said in an exclusive interview with IRNA late Thursday evening.

"I would be very glad and it would be a great honor, if I were to receive an invitation for Iran's national football squad. So let's see what will happen," added the player who was also reportedly linked to the Iranian national team before the 2006 World Cup.

Shapourzadeh whose contract with Rostock was just extended until mid-2008, stressed that his present primary focus will be on his club which is on the verge of being promoted into the first German football division.

The right-winger expressed overall satisfaction with his first-year performance as a professional player, after having played 25 Bundesliga games in which he scored four goals and had three assists.

"I hope I can continue my positive development in the Bundesliga which is a very strong league, in a bid to offer my services for the (Iranian) national team," Shapourzadeh said.

Asked about his assessment of the performance of other Iranian Bundesliga legionaries, he added that all Iranian footballers in the first German division have successfully proven over the years that they can compete at the highest level.

The 25-year-old Shapourzadeh joined Hansa Rostock in 2005 from north German rivals Hamburger SV.