For this
interview, I ask Norwegian Blogger Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual on his trip
to Iran in 2014 to watch Football (Soccer) matches.
Mr. Aasan is one of the duo that make up the fantastic
website http://italia1990.com.
The
Interview will be in written blog as well as with a video companion.
Mr. Aasan’s contact info:
On Twitter: @1990qual
Website: http://italia1990.com
My contact information:
on twitter @sp1873 and on
facebook under Soccernostalgia.
Soccernostalgia Question: Introduction: For those who may not be familiar, can you introduce yourself and discuss your website?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: I
am Joachim Aasan, aged 49, from Oslo, Norway. I'm one of two behind the yet
progressing http://italia1990.com website, which was launched back in 2016. I
have a general interest in football, although regarding contemporary stuff I've
gradually been losing my curiousity, so it is mainly football on a nostalgic
level which does it for me nowadays. As I grew up being a football fan in the
80s, it is predominantly that decade which remains the object of my efforts.
Soccernostalgia Question: How did your decision to travel to Iran to watch Football matches come about?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: As
I'd been following their build-up to the 2014 World Cup and indeed through the
tournament itself, I'd developed some kind of a bond, albeit in a loose sense
of the term. I would probably not have got round to spending two weeks in Iran
had it not been for the fact that I'd taken an interest in their campaign that
summer, though as I'd become rather fond of some of the players, I thought it
might be a fine idea to visit a mythical country and at the same time see some
of Iran's World Cup players perform on the domestic stage. I became
increasingly keen on the prospect of going the more I thought about it, until
I'd one day made my mind up to pay the country a visit. I believe the decision
was made within weeks of Team Melli's exit from the World Cup, and I'd travel
in late August and stay until early September, with a total of two weeks in
Iran.
Soccernostalgia Question: Can you go into the online threads on Football in Norway and how popular are these?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: I
used to frequent a message board which was well visited at the time, and while
most participants on the board's section for international football would
naturally root for the bigger and more fancied nations (and ditto for football
at club level), I was more keen on the underground scene, so to speak. I won't
say that we were aplenty, but there were a couple of others who seemed to share
or harbour a curiousity for the lesser teams, and also some who did not mind to
dip their feet into the pool of nostalgia. This website gradually subsided in
registered visitors, and ultimately timed out. While it subsequently was
replaced by another message board, it is no longer quite the same experience,
with some of the previous participants no longer engaging, or engaging to a
much smaller extent.
Soccernostalgia Question: Why did you pick Iran as the team to follow on this particular thread?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: Well,
back in 2014, with the World Cup coming up, I was sort of attempting to build
an interest for the tournament, and I thought it might be an alright bet to try
and follow a particular nation. It is not that I have anything against the more
recognized nations on the global scene, but I admit to taking a particular
liking to the lesser ones, and it was from this point of view that the idea
developed that I'd try and find out about the Iranian team. Why Iran? While I
won't necessarily call it a coincidence, they were there to be found out about,
and in retrospect I am delighted that I did. Little did I know at the time that
I'd be spending part of my summer holidays in the country.
Soccernostalgia Question: Explain the process of analyzing Iran’s 2014 World Cup team on your thread?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: I
can't say that my analysis were neither very thorough nor, probably, too
precise. However, as I do like to not always leave things to chance, I had felt
an urge to update myself on the team and player situation prior to the
tournament, hence my interest to watch some of their pre-World Cup warm-up
games. It had not been difficult to see how their Portuguese manager Carlos
Queiroz had wanted a strong emphasis on defence, and they were rarely willing
to commit several players in the forward direction at the same time. With each
passing friendly, I also developed a liking to some of the individuals in the
team, and full-back Pejman Montazeri, central defender Amir Hossein Sadeghi and
midfield man Ehsan Hajsafi were indeed early favourites. I also enjoyed seeing
forward Karim Ansarifard in action.
Soccernostalgia Question: At what point did you decide to spend your holidays in Iran and what was it exactly about your analysis on the Team that made you decide? Had you taken similar trips abroad before?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: I've
briefly touched on your first question already, as the decision was made either
whilst the tournament was still ongoing or just in its wake. I've always been a
keen traveler, although whenever I'd been on football journeys previously, it
had with almost no exceptions been with England as destination. I enjoyed going
the short distance from home across the North Sea to England, where I'd
predominantly take in matches in the lower ranks of the Football League or,
indeed, at non-league level. I'd often make use of a hire car to take me
around, arranging an itinerary well in advance of the journey, and so having
plenty of time to sort out accommodation beforehand. It would typically be a
low-cost B&B, and I had the pleasure of visiting numerous little towns
which are not so often frequented by football followers from abroad. This
interest eventually died out around 2016/17, as I'd met a woman who wanted to
accompany me on life's journey. I won't say I was a typical groundhopper, as
there were plenty of teams I paid two or more visits, though my stadium count
in England is 110, of which probably 80-85 are from below Football League level.
Soccernostalgia Question: Given restrictions, was it easy to obtain a visa to go to Iran to watch Football matches or was it straightforward?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: With
this now being a few years ago, I do not have entirely clear in my memory
neither how the process progressed nor the precise time span of it, but I do
not think it took more than three weeks to obtain the visa. All correspondence
obviously went through the Iranian embassy in Oslo, and they always gave a very
helpful impression. There was never any expressions of doubt with regards to
whether or not I'd obtain the visa.
Soccernostalgia Question: How did the Iranian authorities react when you explained that you were traveling for Football Tourism?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: I
do not think I had stated particularly in the visa application that I went with
a view to watching Iranian league football. I rather emphasized that I was
visiting as a tourist. They saw no issues with that, although Iran were not, at
that point in time at least, awfully accustomed to visitors from Western
European countries.
Soccernostalgia Question: What city was your first destination and Why? What match did you watch in Fooladshahr and describe the experience in and out of the stadium?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: With
two weeks in Iran on the agenda, I opted to head for Isfahan first, as the idea
from a footballing perspective was to get the opportunity to see Ehsan Hajsafi
in action. He was one of Isfahan club Sepahan's major stars, and during that
week they were listed to play Foolad in their temporary home, which was Zob
Ahan's Fooladshahr Stadium. Fooladshahr is a town approximately half an hour to
Isfahan's south west, although my initial challenge had been to get to Isfahan
from Tehran, as my international flight had obviously reached the Iranian
capital. The arrival had been in the early hours of the morning, and I'd
subsequently hop in a taxi which would take me to the city's 'Terminal
e-Jonoob', its southern bus terminal. With Isfahan, a historical city some 350
kilometer to Tehran's south, quite a journey away, I progressed to purchase a
VIP ticket on a coach which I had employees confirm to me at least from two
separate sources that was indeed headed to Isfahan. I quickly realized that
English was a relatively rare commodity, and, alas, I'd not completed a 'how to
speak Farsi in 30 days' course.
Upon arrival in Isfahan
some six or seven hours after departure from Tehran, I caught a cab from the
city's bus station to the hotel where I'd booked for the entire week, situated
in the city's Jolfa area, which consists predominantly of Christians of
Armenian descent. It was not difficult to appreciate Isfahan's somewhat dry
beauty upon arrival. The main river had completely dried up, and so the famous
Si-o-se-pol bridge was left in less demand, as you could easily walk dry-footed
from one side of the Zayandeh Rud bank to the other.
With just the solitary
match on my Isfahan agenda, I had plenty of time to live out the tourist in me,
and I was often approached by locals who wanted to have a chat, and some were
even after a selfie with a strange-looking westerner. I only met friendly faces
wherever I ventured, and everyone went out of their way to try and answer any
question I might have. Naturally, most people were wondering what I was doing
in a) Iran and b) Isfahan, although when I told them that I'd been so inspired
by Team Melli at the summer's World Cup that I had wished to come and watch
some of the national team's players in action at domestic level, I am not sure
they quite understood. I informed that I intended to go to Fooladshahr and take
in the Sepahan v Foolad fixture, which would be played on the Friday after my
Monday arrival. Thursday and Friday are the pair of weekend days in Iran,
rather than Saturday and Sunday as we're used to in my part of the
civilization, and I had found kick-off time on some league website. However, I
had not quite managed to interpret it correctly, so upon arrival in Fooladshahr
by cab, I quickly realized how there would have to be some serious waiting. I
had seen it as a 4.30pm kick-off, something which would've been strange, as the
temperature was close to boiling (around 36-37 at this time). Outside the
stadium there was no-one, although in some green lungs nextdoor, a welcoming
group of people were sat having tea in the yellow replica shirts of the home
side. They had acknowledged the foreigner who was looking a little bewildered,
and soon enough I was invited over for a cuppa. I realized they were a family,
although their level of English was not of such a standard that regular
communication was possible. Still, and don't ask me how, we ended up going
through the line-ups of World Cup finalists and winners from 1986 and onwards a
few tournaments. How could I not enjoy myself.
The 7pm kick-off, as I
had learned, was still some time away, though gradually fans were starting to
arrive, and were queueing up outside the entrance gate. There were little
ticket kiosks where you'd purchase your access, and I was quite pleased once I'd
shed enough money to earn mine. I received plenty of looks and even a few
thumbs ups as I joined the increasing line of people waiting for the gate to
open, and I was beginning to feel excited at the prospect of seeing Hajsafi, no
less, in action. As the gate started to let people through, I was ushered to
the side once I'd shown my ticket, and with limited English I was told:
"VIP!" I wasn't quite sure how I would qualify for such treatment,
but I realized soon enough that it wasn't a visit in the executive boxes that
had been in plan for me. "VIP" once again was a vague term, like I
had experienced when purchasing a "VIP" bus ticket for the journey
between Tehran and Isfahan. I never quite got the difference between Persian
VIP and an ordinary ticket (if there ever was one). I was shown to the main
stand, where I was seated among what I assumed to be home supporters, although
I noticed how the fans on the far side were standing and already in good voice.
Perhaps had the guards not wanted the foreigner among them.
I got to talking with a
few fans, and to my massive disappointment I quickly learnt that Hajsafi would
not be playing. Sepahan were early season pace-setters in the Iranian
Pro-League, but they would have to make do without their star player, as he was
allegedly in talks with English club Hull City (!) about a transfer. I had, at
that point, never yet been in Hull, but instinctively I thought to myself:
"How could anyone in their right mind even consider to swap this pearl of
a city (Isfahan, that is, not Fooladshahr, which I had not had the opportunity
to see) with a rainy, heavily industrialized northern English city?"
Rumours in my section of
the stand turned out to be correct; there was no Hajsafi among the eleven home
players who took to the field. I had no problems admitting that the game had
lost a dimension to me, though I did try to appreciate the fact that I would
still be seeing some of the players who had participated in the build-up to the
World Cup, in the shape of attacking players Sharifi and Khalatbari. Also,
goalkeeper Raman Ahmadi had indeed travelled to Brazil, but remained understudy
to the elegant Alireza Haghighi throughout the tournament. Sepahan's manager
was Croat Zlatko Kranjčar, who had previously been in charge of both his native
country as well as Montenegro, in addition to a host of club sides in various
countries. Kranjčar would, perhaps harshly, be relieved of his duties only a
few weeks later, with Sepahan fourth in the table.
The evenly fought contest
ended in a 1-1 draw, and it had, after all, been a terrific experience to be
present for an Iranian topflight fixture.
 |
| Si-o-se-pol bridge on a completely dry river Zayandeh Rud in Isfahan |
 |
| Nagsh-e-Jahan Square in Isfahan |
 |
1)
The
family encountered outside the stadium in Fooladshahr
 |
1)
The
visitors warming up.
Soccernostalgia Question: Describe your next destination, Tehran, how did you travel and the reason you were going there?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: After
an excellent week in a dry but welcoming Isfahan, it was time to head north for
the bustling metropolis which was (and still very much is) Tehran. I had not
had a single bad experience during my time in the country's historical and
architectonic pearl, though I was looking forward to meeting the iconic
capital. Once again I boarded the coach with a 'VIP' ticket, and I was quite
pleased to register how the vehicle was an upgraded and distinctly newer model
than the one which had brought me in the other direction. The stream of cool,
conditioned air was very welcome to someone whose location of origin rarely
exceeds 25 degrees even during high summer, as even though it was fairly early
in the day, we were well into the 30s (or 90s to those more accustomed to the
use of the Fahrenheit scale).
On its way north, the bus
made a stop just about halfway through its route. This appeared to be right in
the middle of the desert, and the temperature was a staggering 43 Celsius.
While most of the passengers headed straight for the cool haven of the
restaurant, I decided to go and sit on a bench outside to take in the
sweltering heat. I managed for the best part of 30 seconds. It was almost
unbearable. I dread to think that this is becoming the norm even in southern
parts of Europe with the climate changes which are occuring.
It was impossible to
spend two weeks in Iran without making Tehran a destination. The coach rolled
into the city's 'Argentina (Arjantin) square', and I got off, yet not quite
knowing how I would get to my hotel way out east in the metropolis, in the
Tehranpars district. I subsequently found a gentleman who was not unwilling to
give me a lift, although I admit I was slightly apprehensive when he led me to
his car, which looked well past it. My suspicion had not been out of place.
While the scale of the traffic in Tehran had been something which I had been
pre-warned about, something which proved to be spot on, the driver and his
vehicle were fighting it out between them to let out the greatest levels of
frustration. The journey took about an hour, and on three separate occasions
the engine stopped and seemingly refused to reignite, only to concur after a
few attempts every time. I was pleased as the proverbial punch when the
gentleman dropped me off outside my hotel, the Shahr.
While the room and not
least its bed were spacious and modern, the bathroom's squat toilet was, to my
taste at least, less impressive. I'd had European levels commodities in
Isfahan. Anyway, who was I to complain? It was time to head into the city
centre, wherever that was, and check out what Tehran had to offer. I will cut a
long story short and just say that I remained with an overwhelming feeling
throughout my week. Istanbul was perhaps the only city where I had previously
visited which had instilled the same amount of 'wow' factor in me, and as I
walked around, trying to take in the mere fact that I was in the heart of the
Persians' capital city, I was left mesmerized. The metro line from Tehranpars and
eastwards into the city's central areas was spottlessly clean and effective,
although it was odd to witness first hand the segregation between genders from
one car to another.
Soccernostalgia Question: What match did you watch in Tehran?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: Both
the game which I'd watched in Isfahan (Fooladshahr) and now in Tehran had been
decided beforehand. I had wanted to visit the famous Azadi Stadium, the
country's national arena, and while I do not wish to step on anyone's feelings,
it had not mattered a great deal to me whether I would see Esteghlal or
Persepolis, the city's, and country's, undoubtedly two most iconic and even
most decorated clubs. As it turned out, Esteghlal were the ones to play at home
this weekend (Friday, I believe). They were up against Gostaresh of Tabriz,
which is in the country's north western corner, not too far away from the
borders with Armenia and Azerbaijan.
While I say that it had
been more or less irrelevant whether I watched Esteghlal or Persepolis, I
should add that this was not entirely accurate. While Ehsan Hajsafi of Sepahan
had been my number one priority to see in action, Team Melli's central defender
Amir Hossein Sadeghi had been another major personal favourite of mine during
the World Cup. He had featured alongside Persepolis' Jalal Hosseini at the
heart of Iran's defence in Brazil, and both had looked dependable players.
Esteghlal, which name translates into 'Independiente' in Spanish, also had the
charismatic Andrik Teymourian, an energetic midfielder, within their ranks, so
I was hoping to see in action at least two of Team Melli's World Cup stars.
They also had Khosro Heydari, who had played a bit-part role during the
summer's global event, even though he was a well-reputed player within the game
domestically. As for the opponents, Gostaresh, I had no knowledge whatsoever.
None of their players had participated in South America.
Soccernostalgia Question: Describe the Azadi stadium in Tehran, what was the atmosphere like?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: Since
I was situated far east in the metropolis, the national team stadium was a bit
of a trek away, slightly to the city core's west. I had realized that there was
no metro station in its immediate vicinity, so I made my way to the nearest
one, where I found out that there were buses designed to transport fans to the
stadium. After nearly two weeks in the country, I had got used to making use of
sign and body languages in order to make myself understood, and after some
quick negotiating, I was soon on my way in an overcrowded bus. Since I had
arrived in Iran, I had barely seen anyone else looking like foreign tourists
(although I had had a chat with an Italian couple while taking in the sights of
the world heritage monument which was Tehran's magnificent Golestan Palace), so
I was already well accustomed to being the odd man out. I have never been
someone seeking attention, and I was never really comfortable with being a
focal point. The locals were never shy of asking where I was from, and I could
just as well have gone along with their assumption of me being German.
The Azadi stadium is
situated in the heart of a huge sports complex, where there's all sorts of
sporting activities going on. The bus stop was only a few hundred meters away
from the entrance to the stadium, and on this occasion I had at least not got
the kick-off time wrong. As I arrived outside the gate, plenty of fans were
already making their way through, and I purchased my ticket in one boot, which
saw me ushered towards the next one for verification (as I understood it). Then
I was inside, and I made my way along the concourse, with plenty of attention
from the locals still.
In the past, I'd heard
how Team Melli had seen attendance figures well above 100 000 for big fixtures,
and once I made it to the stand where I was supposed to be seated, I could
eventually take in the stadium's enormity. The main section, which was where I
was seated, was fitted with customary plastic seats, while the opposite stand
was largely for standing, or at least its upper tier; I can't remember too
precisely. With kick-off looming, I estimated the crowd to be in the 15 000
region, although any figure guessed would likely be far from accurate. I had
the pleasure of engaging in conversation with a gentleman who spoke a flawless
English, better than mine, and he introduced me to the customs of Esteghlal's
supporters. I was sat amidst plenty of fans in replica shirts, while on the
tier above mine there appeared to be standing support, which was probably where
the more vocal ones were situated.
I was delighted to learn
that centre-back Sadeghi was indeed in the starting line-up, so finally I had
got what I had travelled far to see, with his inclusion being to some extent a
compensation for the lack of Hajsafi turning out for Sepahan the previous week.
There was no Teymourian, though, as I learnt he had not yet featured since the
World Cup. He was on the bench, so I did have a hope of him making at least a
substitute appearance.
As for the atmosphere, it
was obviously difficult for the fans in such a big stadium to generate noise
which would reverberate around and leave a major impression, although those who
were there gave it their best go.
It was particularly
pleasing to see a spotless performance by the impressive Sadeghi, while
Teymourian would start warming up behind the goal to my right early in the
second half, and he was introduced as a substitute past the hour. He received a
fine ovation from the crowd, and appeared to be a popular figure among the home
supporters. Esteghlal were in control for most of the match, and ran out
comprehensive winners: 3-0. Heydari also appeared.
The return back to my
hotel was slightly more complicated, as there seemed to be no buses in operation
from the area where they had dropped fans off prior to the game. I decided to
follow pockets of people whom I hoped were looking for public means of
transports (anyone I asked just shrugged and had no purposeful reply), and I
was right. Eventually, I was able to get on a bus which took me to a metro
station, from which I could make my way back. Even the nearest station to where
the hotel was was only situated a brisk 20 minutes walk away, although in such
temperatures, even well after sunset, you would never run the risk of being
cold.
 |
| Azadi. |
 |
| Nearing the time for kick-off. |
Soccernostalgia Question: What was the difference between Fooladshahr and Tehran football crowd?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: I
am not sure there was much of a difference between them, or at least not that I
was ever aware of. The scale of the stadium in Tehran made sure that whatever
noise was caused by the fans would drown on its way across to the other
sections, and as I was sat more or less directly underneath the tier above me,
I could also not see what the fans who were gathered there were up to. Where I
was sat, I would occasionally join in, more or less voluntarily, when the fans
grabbed their seat neighbour around the neck and began swaying from one side to
another. In Fooladshahr, the home support had been relatively vocal on the far
side, and looked to be quite organized in the way they had huddled together
around the centre of the stand.
Soccernostalgia Question: Not knowing the language how did you get by on your typical day? How was your communication with locals?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: As
I've touched on, this was not always straightforward. I should possibly have
made better research, but it had surprised me a little that so few that I came
across were capable of speaking much English, or at least beyond the very basic
levels. Still, there was no end to how keen they were on approaching you, as I
clearly did not look like your average Persian. They wanted to know a) where I
came from and b) what my impression of their country was. I was always
genuinely replying that Iran had made a wonderful impression, both in terms of
what I had seen and experienced, but also through the friendliness of whomever crossed
my path. Despite the problems in communication, the good intent was always
there to see.
With Farsi also having
their own numbers, not just letters (alphabet), it was near impossible for me
to make even half-educated attempts at guessing what was written on any board
or information sign. Buying food/products was never a challenge, and there were
obviously restaurants with food just about as delicious as one could imagine. I
am far from your typical vegetarian, so I indulged in any meat-containing meal
which I could track down.
Throughout my two weeks
in Iran, there were tropical temperatures, although the country's well-known
ban on any alcoholic beverage saw to that I could not quench my thirst with a
frothing cup of ale at any point. I easily admit I would have done so in any
country which had no such restrictions, but not having a single drop of alcohol
during a two weeks holiday was not a problem whatsoever. I had thought I had
come across a bar selling the famous nectar while I was in Isfahan, as I had
seen people a few tables away being introduced to cans of what looked like
perfectly issued Holsten to me, although upon ordering one myself, I
immediately realized that they were, obviously, non-alcoholic.
Soccernostalgia Question: As a Norwegian, were the local population surprised to see a Westerner? Did they assume you may be journalist?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: Westerners
were definitely very few and far between, both in Isfahan and in Tehran, at
least wherever I went. I realized that they were delighted to approach me,
although beyond initial phrases, very few were able to engage in a meaningful
conversation. Those who were, though, always made sure to emphasize how they
were glad to see someone from abroad visit, and not least in hearing how much I
was enjoying my time there.
I was never asked whether
I was a journalist. Those whom I encountered seemed to assume that I was, which
was right, a visitor with few purposes other than engaging in discoveries of
territory where few westerners ventured. I always appreciate being among locals
wherever I go, so in that respect Iran made perfect sense to me. Not that I was
comfortable when being approached on the street by people who wanted to have a
selfie taken with myself.
Soccernostalgia Question: Before going to Iran, were you aware of the nature of the Tehran derby between Persepolis and Esteghlal?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: Yes,
I was. I was aware of its magnitude and its significance to football fans not
just in Tehran, but throughout Iran and probably even beyond. I had read
somewhere that the massive Tehran derby would often end in a draw, so as to
upset as few fans as possible. Whether or not this was a factual truth, though,
I won't engage in a debate on. I had also been aware that they would draw more
or less a packed house at the national stadium whenever they met.
Soccernostalgia Question: Did you come away from the trip learning more about the National Team (Team Melli) or in retrospect it was the adventure and experience that was more satisfying?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: I
think you may be right in suggesting that I probably gained more from the
journey on a personal level rather than learning more about Team Melli. Still,
it was an experience which I would not have wanted to be without to actually be
present at two Iranian topflight matches, and I would (and I am!) recommend to
anyone to go and pay the country a visit, whatever their motivation or purpose
would be. They won't be disappointed, and the chance that the experience would
exceed their expectations is great.
Soccernostalgia Question: In closing, What was the best take-away from this experience on a personal level?
Mr. Joachim Aasan @1990qual response: I
think the fact that you decide to visit somewhere which, if you were to believe
some western media, was allegedly 'risky', as friends and family had also
questioned my ambitions, is particularly satisfying. I am hardly a more
adventurous person than the average Joe, though I do not understand why anyone
would think visiting Iran is a risk. Anyone, American, Brit, Norwegian or
whoever, would feel very welcome; that is my belief. A small part of my aim had
indeed been to prove to any doubter that Iran was a country which would welcome
its visitors, and there had beforehand never been a split second's doubt in my
mind that I was doing the right thing.
Since I just saw two
matches during the visit, the journey was about more than just football. I may
not be the most knowledgeable person around when it comes to history, but no
one can go to Iran and not appreciate the richness of heritage which the region
contains.
Note:
1-Please refer to the
video link at the top of this blog upload for the interview and discussion
regarding this trip.
2-All the photos provided
by Mr. Joachim Aasan.
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