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Foolad
فولاد
Full name	Foolad Khuzestan Football Club
Founded	1973
Ground	Takhti Stadium; Ahvaz; Iran; (Capacity: 30,000)
Chairman	Seifollah Dehkordi
Head Coach	Majid Jalali
League	Iran Pro League
2008-09	Persian Gulf Cup, 7th
Home colours	Away colours

Foolad Khuzestan Football Club (Persian: باشگاه فوتبال فولاد خوزستان) is an Iranian football club, based in Ahvaz, Khuzestan. It was named Foolad partially because it is funded by the industry in Khuzestan. The club contributed the highest number (six) of players to the national team during the Asian Cup 2004 in China, in particular during the quarter-final clash with South Korea, which ended 4-3 (in normal time) in favor of the then underdogs, Iran. In the 2004-05 season, Foolad became the champion of the fourth Iran Pro League (IPL), gaining a total of 64 points over 30 league matches. After several successful seasons and what at one point seemed to be the emergence of a new pole in Iranian football, Foolad lost many of its key players through transfers and internal problems and also displayed a poor performance in the ACL 2006. The club was subsequently relegated to the 2nd highest division in Iran, the Azadegan League in 2007. Fortunately however, Foolad was able to return to the IPL starting the 2008-2009 season and has been turning out relatively well in the current standings.

[edit] Club history

[edit] Establishment

Foolad was a team that no one knew anything about until the dissolution of Jonoub Ahvaz F.C. in 1996. Foolad had won the Ahvaz City Championship in 1991, and entered the 2nd division of the Khuzestan football league two years later.

[edit] Road to Azadegan League

In 1995, which was Foolad's second year in the Khuzestan 2nd Division, they became provincial champions. That same year Jonoob Ahvaz F.C., was contracted and Foolad took their place in Iran Football's 2nd Division. In 1996, with Homayoun Shahrokhinejad as manager, the team was promoted to the 1st division. It was really an amazing run, considering that the team began in the 4th division of the Ahvaz City League in 1986.

[edit] IPL

Ever since their promotion, the club has introduced very talented young footballers to Iranian football. The team was eventually bought by the Ahvaz Steel Mill, this helped the team's financial situation improve. The team was finally able to use its massive potential and win the IPL in the 2004-05 season but unfortunately due to some ensuing internal problems and coaching difficulties could not perform well in the 2006 Asian Champions League. Their star player and MVP of their championship season was loaned and eventually transferred to Al-Shabab in the UAE. The club also had to change the location of its home field, due to renovations, instead playing in neighbouring city, Abadan's Takhti Stadium.

After a mediocre 2005-06, Foolad started the 2006-07 season with former Iranian national team coach Mohammad Mayeli Kohan, but he resigned half way through the season as Foolad had achieved poor results. Youth club coach, Nenad Nikolić temporary replaced him and soon after Portuguese manager Augusto Inácio was named head coach. Foolad went through a terrible 2006-07 season finishing 15th and being relegated to the lower Azadegan League.They won the playoff spot the season after but they lost their match.few weeks later they bought the right to play in Persian Gulf Cup from Sepahan Novin and promoted to IPL.They choosed Majid Jalali as their coach for 2008-09 season where they had an average season but the Majid Jalali left the club because the chairman despite good results was negotiating with other coaches.

[edit] Youth academy

In 2000 Foolad formed a youth academy and today over 400 players play in Foolad's youth system. Players such as Eman Mobali and Adel Kolahkaj are products of the youth system.

[edit] Season-by-season

The table below chronicles the achievements of Foolad in various competitions since 1997.

Season		Pos.	Hazfi Cup	ACL
1997-1998	1D*	10th	Not held	Did not qualify
1998-1999	1D*	7th
1999-2000	1D*	10th
2000-2001	1D*	8th
2001-2002	1D**	3rd	Quarterfinal
2002-2003	1D**	7th
2003-2004	1D**	3rd	1/8 Final
2004-2005	1D**	1st
2005-2006	1D**	8th	1/16 Final	First round
2006-2007	1D**	15th	1/8 Final	Did not qualify
2007-2008	2D	Playoff	Semifinal
2008-2009	1D**	7th	Quarterfinal

* Azadegan League.
** Iran Pro League.

[edit] Club honours

League Championships:
- 2004-05

[edit] Club managers

[edit] Managerial history

Abdollah Veisi 2007
Nenad Nikolić (interim) 2007
Augusto Inácio 2007-2008
Guilherme Farinha 2008
Majid Jalali 2008-2009
Luka Bonačić 2009
Majid Jalali 2009-

[edit] Players

[edit] First-team squad

As of 9 November 2009

No.	Position	Player
1	GK	Khaled Shaheytavi
2	MF	Jaba Mujiri
3	MF	Mehdi Chamanara
4	MF	Ayub Vali
5	DF	Jalal Kameli Mofrad
6	MF	Abdul-Wahab Abu Al-Hail
7	MF	Saeed Ramezani
8	MF	Gholamreza Rezaei
9	FW	Sajad Feizollahi
10	MF	Hojat Zadmahmoud
11	MF	Bakhtiar Rahmani
12	MF	Amir Afravi
13	MF	Javad Shirzad
14	MF	Karim Shaverdi
15	DF	Mohannad Alavi

No.	Position	Player
16	FW	Arash Afshin
18	FW	Cristian Yeladian
19	MF	Mladen Bartolović
20	DF	Nader Ahmadi
21	MF	Amir Khodamoradi
22	GK	Abolfazl Bahadorani
23	FW	Siamak Sarlak
24	MF	Mehrdad Jamaati
25	MF	Payam Hajinajaf
27	DF	Masoud Armoon
28	FW	Lefteh Hamidi
30	GK	Hossein Ashena
33	GK	Saeed Moradi
40	MF	Ali Hamoudi