TEHRAN: Dragan Skocic is back again as Iran’s World Cup finals coach after being sacked last Monday.

His reappointment has been confirmed by federation spokesman Ehsan Osuli after a directors’ meeting.

Skocic’s dismissal sparked heavy criticism among Iranian fans, only four months before the World Cup finals in Qatar. Iran are in Group B, start against England on November 21 then play Wales and the United States.

The 53-year-old Croat, with a contract until 2023, will now resume working to prepare for the sixth appearance of the Iranian team in a World Cup and third in a row.

His dismissal followed a 2-1 friendly defeat in June against Algeria amid speculation about divisions among the players and their own criticism of the coach. Ali Daei, Javad Nekounam, Amir Ghalenoi and Afshin Ghotbi were all tipped to take over.

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