Iran: Ivankovic to quit as national coach after World Cup

08.06.2006 06:45

Ivankovic, 52, first came to Iran as an assistant to fellow Croat Miroslav Blazevic, who had led Croatia to third place in the 1998 World Cup in France. He also took part in that tournament as Blazevic's aide.

Ivankovic took over as Iran national coach after the squad failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.

He forged a new national team by blending older, experienced internationals with a bevy of talented young players from league clubs. This paid off in 2002, when Iran took third place in the Asian Cup in China, losing to the hosts in the semifinal, the AP reports.

Prior to that, Ivankovic led Croatia's Rijeka first league club and Bundesliga's Hannover 96.

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