Amir Ghalenoei Train Team Melli

PLDC - The head coach of Iran's national football team has rejected rumors over Sardar Azmoun's request to have a single room in the team camps.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Amir Ghalenoei said the issue has not been raised.

"Sardar was my player and is a good striker," he said referring to the time when he coached Sardar in Sepahan.

"We talked for 10 minutes after the [friendly] game with Russia and these issues were not raised," said the coach, pointing to a phone conversation between himself and Sardar that was made after reports suggest a division between the two as the striker was absent from the camp.

"I was a friend of Sardar's father before he became my player," Ghalenoei said.

"I don't know whether Sardar had a single room in the past," he said, noting that there are principles in place that the team will stick to.

The remarks come as the 28-year-old striker has dismissed rumors of having problems with Ghalenoei. In an interview in late March, he said "personal issues" were behind his absence from the recent camp of Team Melli.

“I came to Gonbad [a city in Golestan Province] to do some affairs about my military services,” he said, adding, “Furthermore, my wife is pregnant and I had requested to stay with her at these moments.”

Team Melli are making preparations for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.

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