Iran young weightlifters shone in the Asian Weightlifting championship with a handful of medals.

Iran’s youth weightlifting team has won the first title at the 2008 Asian Youth Weightlifting Championship which was held in South Korea.
Iran, coached by two-time super heavyweight Olympic Champion Hossein Rezazadeh, was ranked first after winning 24 medals (11 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze) at the event, Presstv said.
The 2008 Asian Youth Weightlifting Championship was held in South Korea’s Jeonju city on December 4th and 5th.
Athletes from Taipei and South Korea stood second and third, respectively.
This marks the first time Rezazadeh has coached a weightlifting squad.
The 30-year-old Rezazadeh, known as the Iranian Hercules, was selected as the manager and head coach of Iran’s national weightlifting team by the country’s Weightlifting Federation Technical Committee on September 6.
On the eve of the event, Rezazadeh said that he always trusts in God.
“The Iranian team is completely ready to win the championship. The team had good preparation within the last three months,“ said Iran’s national team’s manager.
“In this edition some great teams including Japan, China and Uzbekistan are taking part but we trust in God and we are not afraid of big names,“ the two-times Olympic gold medalist boasted.

Persepolis defender Sepehr Heidari and Ibrahima TourŽ react after scoring a goal.

Popular Tehran soccer team Persepolis gained a 2-1 victory over Rah Ahan in the 17th round of Iran’s Premier League (IPL).
Persepolis Senegalese striker Ibrahima TourŽ scored the opener to stun the 40,000 spectators at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium in the 35th minute of the game on Thursday, Presstv said.
In the second half of the game, Tehran-based club was the better team of the field.
Davoud Haqqi managed to level the game for Rah Ahan from the penalty spot in the 69th minute.
Two minutes later, however, Sepehr Heidari struck the winner for the Reds to seal the victory, moving his side to the 4th place in the IPL table with 29 points.
Persepolis coach Afshin Peyrovani expressed his satisfaction with the result.
“I am delighted that we win three points for the game. We really needed to win under any condition,“ he said. “We have good players and only think about the championship.“
Rah Ahan coach Mahmoud Yavari blamed the loss on the physical condition of his players.
“Our players ran out of energy at the end of the match because they have to play two games per week,“ Yavari explained. “We must learn from this defeat.“
Isfahan’s Zob-e Ahan currently tops the IPL table on 33 points. Tehran’s Esteqlal sits second with 31 followed by Peykan with 30 points.

Rahman RezaÕee

The former Iranian international player Rahman Reza’ee, who has recently joined Tehran giants Persepolis FC after spending seven years in Il Calcio, has described his current situation as well as his ambitions and plans in an interview with IPNA.
Can you tell us about your first match for Persepolis against Semnan Industries?
The feeling of playing in the first match is inexpressible. I shouldn’t have been too much excited given my experience in the Italian league.
Are you satisfied with your performance?
It would be unprofessional to say that I was satisfied with myself. Many factors including the undesirable stadium conditions, playing away and the fact that we were in a knock-out competition had affected the performance of all players.
In the next stage Persepolis will face SepahanÉ
I am not very familiar with the two teams’ rivalries and will only do my job.
It seems that you make a good pair with Frank Atsou in the defense.
Frank is a good player, but I am trying to adapt myself to the system of the team and improve the defensive line.
What do you want to achieve in Iran?
I returned because I wanted to prove many things. I wanted to say that I still exist and I’m not yet expired.
Can you say why you chose Persepolis?
By making a choice, one sets great goals. My aims would be achieved within the framework of Persepolis. Tehran-based club is a great club with great ambitions.
Is championship all you wanted?
Of course this is a great motivating factor, but one has to take into consideration Persepolis’ participation in the next edition of Asian Champions League (ACL), which is a difficult competition to win. It is very tempting to experience the ACL and the championship with the same team.
Don’t you think about the national squad?
The national team belongs to prepared players.
Aren’t you prepared?
It’s not that I’m not in shape, but the team is for those who have played since the start of the current season of Iran’s Premier League (IPL). In fact, that is the place for the best players.
Does that mean you don’t care about it at all?
I only think about Persepolis and don’t like to think about it (the national team) at the moment.
Italy is proud of its defenders. What did you learn from these tough defenders?
Without any doubts, I owe all my progress in football to playing in Calcio. I have now returned and am willing to use all my experience in Iranian football.
What is your solution for Persepolis’ unorganized defense?
Any coach has his own strategies. I do not want to interfere in the duty of the coaches since everybody has his own views.
Do you agree about the chaotic state of the Persepolis defense?
There are great defenders in Persepolis, but unfortunately, they have not been up to expectations in this season. I am confident that they will soon get up to their best shape.
Do you think Persepolis head coach Peyrovani will get successful?
I am very optimistic about his coaching career.
Will you ever return to the European football?
I have a lot of ideas. Definitely, my ultimate goal is returning to European football.

Roy Keane

Roy Keane has resigned as manager of Sunderland after 27 months in charge.
Keane, 37, took over in 2006 but chose to step down with the club lying 18th in the Premier League following five defeats in six matches, BBC said.
First team coach Ricky Sbragia has been placed in temporary charge, assisted by coaches Neil Bailey and Dwight Yorke.
“Roy’s decision sums up his desire to always do what is best for the club, despite the club’s efforts to keep him,“ said chairman Niall Quinn.
“Roy deserves huge respect for his contribution and the manner in which he guided the club from the depths of the Championship back to the Premier League.
“His winning mentality and singled mindedness were just what this club needed. Even in his departure he has been more concerned for the welfare of the players and his staff than himself.
“The board has reluctantly accepted his decision and wishes him and his family well for the future.“
Quinn, who held talks with Keane over three days in an attempt to persuade him to stay, added: “He lifted this place off its knees, he is a tremendous influence.
“Five weeks ago (after beating Newcastle) people were dancing in the streets of Sunderland. It’s a funny world football and I hoped I’d never have to do this day.
“I spoke many times about Roy and I being in a partnership and it feels like the partnership has dissolved now.
“I wish him real well in the future. He’ll get a bit of time to himself now to re-charge but I think we all know the Premiership hasn’t seen the last of him. He’s got great things to come.“
Keane, who guided the Black Cats to the Premier League in 2006-07, said in recent weeks that his future may not be certain, although Sunderland has spent the last few days trying to persuade him to stay on.
The Black Cats’ latest defeat came against Bolton on Saturday and Keane said after the 4-1 loss: “I ask myself every day if I’m the right man for Sunderland.
“I asked myself this morning and I said I was. Sunday morning, if the answer’s no, we’ll have to look at it.“
Keane spent nearly £70m on 33 permanent signings following his arrival in August 2006, including big-money deals for striker Kenwyne Jones, midfielder Kieran Richardson, defender Anton Ferdinand and a club record £9m on keeper Craig Gordon.
On their return to the Premier League last season they finished in 15th place, escaping relegation by only three points.
Sunderland held a news conference in which they confirmed the departure of Keane, who himself issued a short statement.
He said: “I would like to thank my staff, players, Niall Quinn and, in particular, the fans for their support during my time at Sunderland, and I would like to wish the club every success in the future.“
Quinn added: “Roy felt he had completed his journey here, and he just felt he didn’t want to get it unstuck any further and find ourselves in deeper, darker territory. That’s the measure of the guy.
“In situations like this, I am sure nine times out of 10 the chairman is saying how the manager was trying to keep his job. It was the other way round.
“Once he made his decision, I said to him, ’I know you too well, Roy, to try to overturn it now’.“