According to Varzesh 3, Jafar Soleimani, the former Esteghlal defender, has moved to Iraq's Al-Talaba this season to continue his football career in the Iraqi league under the guidance of Ali Mansourian, the former coach of the Blues. Soleimani has had a good start at his new team, turning into one of Al-Talaba's influential players by scoring goals and providing assists. Alongside the experience of working with Mansourian, he now closely follows the conditions of Iraqi football, the atmosphere of the Baghdad derby, the club's financial troubles, and, of course, the situation at Esteghlal. In an interview with our reporter, Soleimani spoke about his time in Iraq, working with Ali Mansourian, the conditions of the country's league, and his hopes for a return to the national team.

The following is the interview of Jafar Soleimani with Varzesh 3:

You scored a crucial three-point goal, just like the three-point goals during your time at Esteghlal. Talk about that. Thank God I was able to be useful for the team and our dear fans in this important and sensitive match. Scoring in a derby always has a special feeling, but more important than my goal was securing the three points and the joy of Al-Talaba fans, who reached this sweet victory after four years. During my time at Esteghlal, I also scored in crucial moments a few times and I well understand the value of these goals. At Esteghlal, I learned that in big matches, one must maintain concentration until the very last second and make the most of single opportunities. Thank God that in this match too, that experience came to my aid so I could have a small share in this great victory. Your goal was initially ruled offside and was approved after a VAR review. Can you describe those few moments?

Those few moments were full of stress for me and my teammates. When the assistant referee raised his flag, I was very worried because I knew how much this goal was worth to us. The time the referee spent reviewing the footage felt like several hours to me. When it was confirmed that the goal was legal, out of pure joy, I just ran toward the bench to share my excitement with them. I must say that this very delay in announcing the goal multiplied the excitement and joy of our team's players and fans.

Mansourian, Farhad Majidi, and Javad Nekounam have all coached you. What are the differences in the managerial and behavioral styles of these three coaches?

Working with each of these coaches has had its own special experience, and each has had their own conditions, managerial style, and tactical approach. I learned a lot from all of them, which greatly helped in my success, and I am grateful to them.

Is Mansourian more of a technical coach in the locker room, or does he prepare his players for the match with emotional talks?

Mansourian performs very strongly from a technical standpoint and tells us all the tactical details, and he also speaks very emotionally and energetically. He knows exactly how to give us morale with his talks and multiply our motivation for victory. In fact, I can say he creates a very good balance between technical and psychological issues. How much can the victory against Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya change perceptions about Al-Talaba? Can you now consider yourselves title contenders?

This win was very important for us and showed that Al-Talaba can accomplish great things. However, we still have a long way ahead and we do not want to fall victim to arrogance. We will definitely fight for the championship and do our utmost to maintain the current momentum. But we must go game by game and focus on our next match.

How much of their dues have Al-Talaba players received, and what are the financial conditions there?

Well, it cannot be denied that the club's financial conditions have been difficult for a while, and not receiving dues has made things hard for everyone. For me, playing here as a foreign player far from my home country, these conditions are naturally more difficult. However, I must say this situation is not unique to me, and all the team members are grappling with these problems. Seeing the dedication and passion of the players under these conditions is truly admirable; they have shown that they fight with all their might for the team and the fans and are fully committed. I hope the club officials address these problems as soon as possible and resolve this situation for the players so everyone's main focus can be solely on matches and getting good results.

Before going to Iraq, what was your perception of this league, and how much has your view changed after a few months?

To be honest, before coming to Iraq, my perception of the league was somewhat different. But after a few months of playing here, I realized that this league is much more high-quality and competitive, both technically and physically, than I thought. Teams play with seriousness and planning, and competition in this league is difficult for any player.

How do you compare the atmosphere of the Baghdad derbies with major Iranian football matches, especially the Tehran derby?

Naturally, derby matches in every city and country have their own special conditions. But in Iraq, given that both Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Al-Talaba have long histories and massive fan bases, the importance of this game is multiplied. With the presence of the passionate spectators of both teams, the stadium atmosphere is extraordinary, and on the other hand, since both teams always enter the field to win, the match has immense appeal. Experiencing such an atmosphere is truly interesting and enjoyable for me. Which feature of the Iraqi league surprised you the most?

The presence of numerous high-quality players, both in terms of individual technique and physical conditioning, has truly elevated the level of the matches. In this league, you see that teams enter the field with a plan and players expend energy with all their might. Alongside these good players, skilled and knowledgeable coaches direct the teams, and this combination makes none of the games easy; even against teams at the bottom of the table, you must play with maximum effort. This close and intense competition makes it impossible to predict the outcome of any game with complete certainty. I try every day to progress and become better and better.

Will you also talk about Esteghlal? Do you still follow their matches?

I always follow Esteghlal's results. I think this year, despite difficult conditions and the transfer window being closed for Esteghlal, the team has truly performed very well. Mr. Bakhtiarizadeh is a great and knowledgeable coach who has transferred his composure to the team, and the players are also trying their best. I hope they succeed for the rest of the season, both in the Iranian Premier League and in Asian matches.

Can your performance at Al-Talaba bring you back to the national team? Do you still think about wearing Iran's shirt?

I try every day to progress and become better and better. Wearing the sacred shirt of the national team again is definitely a great honor for any player and is considered the dream of every footballer. Of course, the final decision in this regard rests with the head coach and the members of the coaching staff, and I respect their opinion, but I am doing my utmost to catch their eye again by raising my own level of readiness and maintaining success.

Source: Varzesh 3