'Iran competent to qualify for WC'

PTV - A veteran Iranian football manager and coach says Iran's national soccer team has the potential to qualify for the 2010 World Cup.

“Iran can qualify for the World Cup if they stage a different soccer from what spectators have seen in the past ten years,” Majid Jalali said in an interview with IRNA on Friday.

“The Iranian players who play in European clubs can definitely help the team if they are in good condition,” he added.

The 52-year-old coach also said Iran's Football Federation must arrange adequate preparatory matches to help the Iranian team perform better.

Iran is in Group B and will compete with Saudi Arabia, North Korea, the UAE and South Korea in the final Asian qualifying round for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Iran has reached the World Cup three times before, in 1978, 1998 and 2006.

Majid Jalali has served as the manager of several clubs in Iran and also of national football teams at various levels youth soccer.