Iran want Eriksson as manager

The Iranian FA has expressed an interest in hiring Sven-Goran Eriksson as national team boss but played down reports linking Diego Maradona with the role.

Abbas Torabian, head of recruitment for the Iranian FA, has told Eurosport that the search for a replacement for current incumbent Afshin Ghotbi - who will remain in charge until the conclusion of the January Asian Cup in Qatar - is underway.

"We would be very happy if we got Mr Eriksson," Torabian said. "He has a lot of experience."

"We will decide after the Asian Championships who the new coach will be," he explained. "If we choose a foreigner I will be in charge of the recruitment. We have not met Mr Eriksson yet. There are too many newspapers in Iran, and they like to make things up."

"One thing is for certain: the job will not be offered to Diego Armando Maradona despite rumours that say otherwise," added Torabian.

"We have not met Maradona either; and I want to make it clear that we would love to invite him and other great players to Iran. But we do not want him as our next national coach."