The Esteghlal Herald
Market7 Aug 2028
Pouria Meshalgerdi says no to Naft Tehran
“I listened, I thought about it, and I am staying. That is the whole story.” The clubs had agreed a fee. Pouria Meshalgerdi had not agreed to go, which turned out to be the part that mattered.
Market7 Aug 2028
Mohammad Ghoreishi hands in a written request
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Esteghlal can pretend not to have heard.
Boardroom7 Aug 2028
Sardar Jahanbakhsh signs on for the long haul
Esteghlal moved before anybody else could: a new deal for Sardar Jahanbakhsh, agreed quietly and announced loudly. Boards extend managers for many reasons; the good one is the one this looks like.
Squad7 Aug 2028
Antonio Adán in a row with a teammate
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Esteghlal this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Boardroom7 Aug 2028
5 academy players handed senior numbers at Esteghlal
The morning the pathway stops being a brochure and becomes a team sheet. Most of them will not be here in three years; all of them have already done the hard part, which was getting to today.
The dugout7 Aug 2028
The manager makes an example of Antonio Adán
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Market7 Aug 2028
Saeid Karimi steps up from the Esteghlal academy
There is no fee, no unveiling and no agent on the steps. Saeid Karimi has been at this club since he was a boy and is now, formally, one of the first-team squad — which for a local readership beats any signing of any size.
Market7 Aug 2028
Ehsan Mohammadi steps up from the Esteghlal academy
There is no fee, no unveiling and no agent on the steps. Ehsan Mohammadi has been at this club since he was a boy and is now, formally, one of the first-team squad — which for a local readership beats any signing of any size.
Match5 Aug 2028
Late, late show earns Esteghlal a point
Minute 87, against Padideh, and a goal that felt like a win to everybody who had stayed. It was a draw. Nobody leaving the ground will describe it as one.
In brief
- Match Esteghlal and Padideh take a point apiece
- The dugout When it matters, Ramin Hajsafi plays
- The dugout The view from the dugout