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Playing Career Highlights

Esteghlal of Ahvaz youth team

Foulad of Ahavz youth team

Iran’s U17 National Team

Iran’s U19 National Team

National Team member

Foolad Sports Club – Ahvaz

Alsad Sport Club – Qatar

Back to Folad Sports Club

At the age of 20, Hossein Kaebi is the most promising young talent in Iran. With 45 national team appearances over the last three years, he has been a fixture in the 4-2-3-1 system of Branko Ivankovich. A long time starter of his club “Foolad,” last year’s Iran’s Premier League champions, Kaebi is known for his small frame, physical play, ferocious tackles and fantastic speed. He has been noticed. This past January, FIFA’s web site called Kaebi a “Player to Watch,” and referred to him as “the attack-minded and mercurial teenager that is a real nightmare for opposition players.”

It may be hard to believe but Hossein Kaebi is the youngest child of a 14 children family. He has 8 older brothers and 5 older sisters. He grew up in the “Lashgarak” neighborhood of Ahvaz in southwest of Iran. This is a city where playing football in the streets is a part of every boy’s growing up and they all chase the impossible yet sweet dream of playing for the national team. Kaebi reached that sweet dream when he was only 17.

While he was growing up, two things made up Kaebi’s characteristics: the love of his large family and his passion for football. Today he lives with one of his brothers in Ahvaz, plays for the hometown team and sees his teammates and club staff as his extended family.

Kaebi’s international club experience is limited to a few weeks in England practicing with the then EPL club Wolverhampton Wolves. He also spent most of last season in Qatar with Al Saad club.

“I am happy to be living home in Ahvaz once again and with Foolad. In our team, we are all friends. After team practices, I get together with other players and have a certain bond that is very important to me. This friendship has made us a better team”, he said.

He was called to the national team at the age of 17. Three years later, he has 45 national team appearances, has scored three goals and has impressed most critics and all fans.

Kaebi comes across as a shy person who is very reserved yet as he talks about his favorite topics, he opens up and his shyness mixes up with a certain directness that is typical of southerners in Iran. This exclusive interview for footballmedia.net was conducted on December 19^th, 2005.

Kaveh: How old are you?

Kaebi: I was born in 1364 Shamsi (1985). I am 20 years old.

Kaveh: Let’s start talking about how you joined the national team at such young age.

Kaebi: During the Asian Games of 2002 (U23 tournament with 3 senior members), Iran’s team went to the games with low expectations. Our senior members were Daei, Mirzapor and Golmohammadi. We worked very well together and defeated tough teams from Japan and South Korean.

Those days, everyone was saying how small I was (165 CM, 5’ 6”) and how inappropriate it was for me to play as a defender. Actually they still say that. Growing up, I had played in the right wing and the right back positions. Brnako Ivankovich (Iran’s current national team head coach) asked me to play in defense. He trusted me when everyone else was critical. I played mostly as a sub but toward the end of that tournament I started in two games. With his trust, Branko provided me with the needed confidence.

Kaveh: So those games were the start of your tenure as a starter in Brnako’s formation?

Kaebi: At that time, we were all young and Branko was himself new as a head coach with Iran. The Asian Games tournament gave me a chance to prove myself as a player. He needed an attacking minded defender on the right side. I think I did well then.

Kaveh: We will come back to Branko in a few minutes. Which coaches helped shaping you as a football player?

Kaebi: Four main coaches come to mind.. They are Mossavi (Esteghlal of Ahvaz’s youth team), Hamid Derakhshan (Iran’s U17 and U19 national team head coach), Begovich (Foolad head coach until 2002) and Branko Ivankovich.

Kaveh: You were a teenager when you tried out with Wolves in England. What happened there?

Kaebi: I was there for three weeks. I wasn’t that interested to go and tryout with them. They wanted to test me first. We shouldn’t think lowly of ourselves because we come from Asia or Iran. Foolad’s management convinced that I should go. I passed all their tests and did well in the practice sessions. But, Foolad and Wolves didn’t agree on the numbers.

Kaveh: How about your time at Al Saad of Qatar last year?

Kaebi: I wanted to gain international experience. Qatari clubs have good financial and infrastructure resources, bring good coaches and I thought would play good football. I had no problem with the country or the training. Everything was very professional. But, the league was not that advanced and I felt that my game was suffering.

Kaveh: You mentioned their training. How was it and how was your coach?

Kaebi: The head coach was Bora Milutinovic who is well respected around the world. I learned a lot from him and he took me under his wings. He suggested that I should play in Europe and in better leagues.

Kaveh: How was your typical day in Qatar?

Kaebi: We had one day of rest but meetings in all other days from 9 – 12. Then we ate lunch together, had a practice session from 6 – 9 PM (due to the heat in Persian Gulf) and then went home. There was nothing I could do in my off hours except getting back to my room and rest. It became very difficult and boring. I did however learn to be a professional player and that was a good lesson there.

Kaveh: How are your days at Foolad?

Kaebi: We practice everyday but Tuesdays. Here (in Foolad) you have to manage your own off times and be professional. The club is there to help you and take care of you. The management is very strong and in fact has taken care of a lot of our personal issues. Team members are very close and after practice, we visit socially. I am very happy here.

Kaveh: When will your current contract expire?
Kaebi: In 6 months

Kaveh: Any plans beyond that?

Kaebi: Right now I have teams interested in me from Italy, England and Turkey. My focus is though the world cup.

Kaveh: Which European club would you like to play for after the world cup?

Kaebi: I would like to play for a first class club in Europe.

Kaveh: Which one?

Kaebi: Well, Manchester United is my #1 choice.

Kaveh: Last year you were the champs but this year Foolad hasn’t done well. Why?

Kaebi: It is amazing how many good players we have in our team. We are young. After winning it all last year, we became too self confident and are still suffering from that.

Kaveh: What is the solution?

Kaebi: I am not sure. We need to play again as a team and perform what our coaches ask us to do on the field.

Kaveh: You are known to play a very physical game which doesn’t match your physical attributes.

Kaebi: I love to play physical on the field. I tackle hard and I have no fear of going one on one with anyone. That is my style. Maybe because I have a smaller frame, I am like that. The fact that I am small allows me to be a very fast player too.

Kaveh: …And you have received a lot of yellow and red cards.

Kaebi: Well, that was true until last year. It seemed like every four matches I would accumulate enough cards to be suspended for one match. But after I returned from Qatar, I have received less yellow cards and I am more in control. I do still play hard though.

Kaveh: Which game was the best match you played?

Kaebi: Against South Korea in the Asian Cup.

Kaveh: Which loss was your toughest?

Kaebi: Against China in the same tournament. We deserved to go to the finals but due to bad calls, we ended up in a tie with the host and lost in penalty kicks.

Kaveh: Your favorite foreign player?

Kaebi: Figo of Portugal

Kaveh: Your Iranian player role model?

Kaebi: Yahya Golmohammadi. He is closer than a friend to me. I respect him tremendously and have learned a lot from him. He gives support to the young players and plays with heart. I can’t say enough about him. (NOTE: Golmohammadi is a mid defender starter with Iranian National team.)

Kaveh: Would you prefer to play halfback, forward or where you are as a defender?

Kaebi: Mehdi (Mahdavi Kia) and I are very comfortable with each other. I love playing right behind him and we are in synch. Even though he is a great and well known player, he has always helped and supported me. I am very comfortable in the current system.

Kaveh: Tell us about your friend Iman Moabali (another national team member who now plays for Al Shabob in U.A.E.).

Kaebi: Technically, we don’t have many like him in Iran. He is simply amazing. Moabali is the best in Iran on free kicks and one of the best in the world. Whenever he would go to take a free kick, he smells like a goal. He shouldn’t be in U.A.E. and should play for one of the best clubs in Europe.

Kaveh: Yet, Branko doesn’t seem to share your view on Moabali.

Kaebi: Here is the problem. For Moabali to be a starter, he would have to replace either Ali Karimi or Freydun Zandi. This has made it very difficult for him. Imagine we didn’t play the 4-2-3-1 system and only had 3 defenders. Then, I wouldn’t have a place in the national team. I really feel for my friend Moabali but he is in a tough situation to be sitting behind Karimi and Zandi. I hope he would go with us to Germany.

Kaveh: Let’s come back to Branko. What do you think of him as a coach?

Kaebi: In Iran, every newspaper is the head coach. Everyone is critical of Branko and everyday someone else is asking for Branko’s removal. This is not fair. We played poorly in a couple of games but the players were responsible for those poor plays. The players respect Branko and support him. I have learned a lot from him and I consider him a great coach.

Kaveh: Do you give a lot of interviews?

Kaebi: No I don’t. In fact, for the past few months, I have not given any interviews. Yet, you would find headlines with quotes from me in the Iranian sports papers. I am really tired of all this. When I play well, no one writes about it but you always find articles about how short I am or how poorly I have played here or there. This trend of negative coverage of the national team is hurtful to me and other young players.

Just a couple of weeks ago, a newspaper quoted Brnako that “If Kaebi don’t play as the right defender in his club, he would lose his starting position in the national team.” This was a lie. Why would they print that is beyond me? So, I no longer give interviews. This interview with you is an exception.

Kaveh: Your view on Mirzapoor and Nosrati.

Kaebi: Who is a better goalkeeper in Iran than Mirzapoor? There is no one close to him. Why is it that in our country we put so much emotional strain on a player until he breaks? Mirzapoor had a couple of poor matches and everyone is after him. Nosrati scored the most important goal for us to advance to the world cup but he has been feverishly attacked and they are asking for his head.

We talk about being professional in our clubs and with our players yet our media is not professional. Isn’t there an irony?

Kaveh: Let’s end the interview with world cup. How well will Iran do?

Kaebi: We are in a difficult group. It is not easy to be paired with Mexico and Portugal. However, keep in mind that we have always played great teams tough and well. That is what you will see from Iran in Germany. We will play a solid and attractive football.

You will see a dedicated and physical Kaebi on the field. I will play well and turn heads around.

Kaveh: What do you think about Iran’s chances in Group D?

Kaebi: We need the support of our people and media. With their support, our (Iran) team will do well but we need to focus on our training and the tournament. There are too many distractions and rumors in our media. We need the people and media to be in our side. With a great support system in place, we will play good matches and keep our heads high.

Kaveh: Thank you Mr. Kaebi for your time.

Kaebi: Thank you too.