News / Sports

Iraq Football Association hopes to sign Persepolis coach Ivanković

Monday, 02 July 2018 7:13 AM [ Last Update: Monday, 02 July 2018 7:32 AM ]

Croatian football manager Branko Ivanković and current coach of Iranian professional football club Persepolis (file photo)

The Iraq Football Association has reportedly contacted Croatian football coach Branko Ivanković, who currently manages Iranian professional football club Persepolis, to take charge of the Iraq men’s national football team.

“The association has started its initial contact with Ivanković. The Iraqis are hopeful of reaching agreement with him,” the Arabic-language Mawazin news agency quoted an unnamed source close to the governing body of football in Iraq as saying.

The Iraq national football team, nicknamed Usood al-Rafidain (Lions of Mesopotamia), is preparing for the 2019 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates, and wants to hire the 64-year-old.

This is while Ivanković extended his contract with Tehran-based Persepolis club, nicknamed Artesh-e-Sorkh (The Red Army), for two more years through 2020 during a ceremony on May 14.

Ivanković was confirmed as the new manager of Persepolis, which currently plays in the Persian Gulf Pro League, on April 5, 2015, signing a one-and-a-half-year contract with the club.

He renewed his contract with Persepolis in April 2016 after a series of good results.

The Croatian national will now steer the red-clad Iranian giants through the end of the 2019–20 season.

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