TEHRAN (Iran News) – Former skipper Moharam Navidkia was appointed as the new manager of the Persian Gulf Pro League side Sepahan on a three-year contract.
Navidkia, a five-time league champion with the Isfahan-based club, will take over from the Portuguese interim manager Miguel Teixeira, who had replaced Amir Qalenoei in early August.
Qalenoei stepped down from his role following a Hazfi Cup defeat against Esteghlal.
Navidkia, hugely adored by the Sepahan faithful, made 282 appearances for the club, scoring 41 goals.
The 37-year-old will be faced with a mammoth task straight away as his team will resume its AFC Champions League campaign in mid-October.
Sepahan sits third in Group C with three points after two games, trailing Qatar’s Al Sadd and Saudi side Al Nassr by one point.
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Navidkia came through the ranks in the Sepahan’s youth system before joining the club’s first team in 1998.
Best known for his vision and sublime passes in the middle of the park, Navidkia won the Iranian league with Sepahan in 2003 and left for the Bundesliga side VfL Bochum a year later.
An injury-hit spell saw the Iranian making only 10 appearances for the German club in two seasons.
Ex-Iranian international rejoined his boyhood club in 2006 where he went on to lift the league trophy on four more occasions, before hanging up his boots in 2017.
Embarking on a new chapter in his career, Navidkia will surely have the supporters’ backing to bring back silverware to the club.
- source : Iran Daily
