Iran have been rocked by the resignation of assistant coach Majid Salih this morning, barely two weeks before opening their 2014 World Cup campaign in Brazil with a match against Nigeria.
Speculation of unrest rose after Salih was spotted sitting in the stands rather than in the dugout alongside Portuguese head coach Carlos Queiroz for one of Iran’s World Cup warm-up matches in Austria.
By resigning from the Iran national team, Salih becomes the second assistant to leave the Iran post this year, after Omid Namazi also left the job earlier.
Queiroz on his part has been linked replacement for Gordon Igesund at South Africa, after Igesund’s contract as South Africa coach was not renewed by the FA. Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has also been linked to the South Africa job.
Iran will come up against Argentina and Bosnia-Herzegovina in their other World Cup Group F matches.