Homan Afazeli
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Human Afazeli | ||
| Position(s) | Manager | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Iran U23 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1983-1984 | Rah Ahan F.C. | ||
| 1984-1988 | Pas F.C. | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1988-1991 | Pas F.C. | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 2000-2001 | Pas U18 | ||
| 2001-2002 | Shahab Zanjan U21 | ||
| 2002-2005 | Shahab Zanjan F.C. | ||
| 2002-2006 | Iran (Assistant) | ||
| 2007-2008 | Saipa F.C. (Assistant) | ||
| 2008-2009 | Iran (Assistant) | ||
| 2010-2011 | Iran U-23 (Caretaker) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Human Afazeli (Persian: 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 division 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.
Afazeli stepped out alongside with some coaching staff members after Ali Daei's dismissal on April 2009. He coached the team without ex-supremo Ali Daei last time against Senegal in a friendly match 4 days after World Cup 2010 qualifier against Saudi Arabia.
After few months away from limelight, he was selected as Iran football federation technical committee member and secretary. He refused to join Ali Daei as assistant in Perspolis of Tehran and spoke of his desire to be a head coach again at club level.
Few days before 2011, he became Iran U23 head coach to help the team toward the olympic qualifiction to London. But He qualified the team for next round in a play off match against Kyrgyzstan but resigned after returned leg in Bishkek due to lack of support of Iranian Olympic Committtee and Football Federation.