Houman Afazeli

Football manager infobox
playername = Houman Afazeli


fullname = Houman Afazeli
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1971|9|3
cityofbirth = flagicon|IRN Tehran
countryofbirth = Iran
currentclub =
position = Manager
youthclubs = flagicon|IRN Rah Ahan F.C. flagicon|IRN Pas F.C.
youthyears =
years = 1988-1991
clubs = flagicon|IRN Pas F.C.
caps(goals) =
manageryears = 2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2005 2002-2006 2007-2008 2008-Present
managerclubs = flagicon|IRN Pas U18 flagicon|IRN Shahab Zanjan U21 flagicon|IRN Shahab Zanjan F.C. flagicon|IRN Iran (Assistant) flagicon|IRN Saipa (Assistant) flagicon|IRN Iran (Assistant)

Houman Afazeli (PerB|هومن افاضلی, born September 3, 1971 in Tehran, Iran) is a former Iranian football player and now coach.

Playing career

He started playing football since he was 9 years old in Rah Ahan F.C. of Tehran. He then went to Pas F.C. of Tehran and played until he made his breakthrough for senior squad. After a severe injury of left knee in 1991, he quited playing football as a pro.

Coaching career

He started his coaching career when he was 25. His first senior job came across when he took over 1st devision outfield Shahab Zanjan. During his three years with the club, he implemented 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2 systems with flat back four which was refreshing in Iran’s football dominated by traditional 3-5-2 formation. Zanjan club produced some fluid and contemporary football despite limited talent and finance.

Afazali’s tactical vision and practical savvy did not go unnoticed. After a friendly match between Iran national football team and Shahab Zanjan in Tehran, Iran’s then head coach Miroslav Ciro Blazevic, who had already guided his Croatian side to third place in the 1998 World Cup, invited Afazeli to join the national team staff as technical adviser and analyst. After Ciro departed, Afazeli stayed with the national team for four more years with newly promoted Branko Ivankovic He gained a gold medal in the 2002 Asian Games, third place finish in Asian Cup 2004, a World Cup 2006 appearance with Iran, and more than 100 international matches as an assistant and analyst for the national team. He was brought back into the national team in 2008 under new coach Ali Daei.

External links

* [http://www.humanafazeli.com/ Official Website]