Italian coach Giuseppe Materazzi has claimed he has been approached by the Iranian Football Federation to take the national coaching post.

"They (the Iranian Federation directors) asked me if I was available to coach the national side...I immediately said I was available and keen to do so," he said.

"I saw the 0-0 draw between Iran and Syria (a 2010 World Cup qualifier). The Iranians have good individual players. I would be more than willing to go to Tehran to coach them." AFP quoted him as saying on Tuesday.

The vacancy occurred when former Spain and Serbia coach Javier Clemente failed to reach an agreement with the Iranian Football Federation amid a wrangle over his conditions to accept the post.

Materazzi, who has coached numerous Italian clubs including Pisa, Lazio, Messina, Padova, Brescia, Piacenza, Venice, Cagliari and Bari, has coached twice outside Italy, with Portuguese outfit Sporting Lisbon and Tian-Jin in China.

The 62-year-old, the father of World Cup-winning defender Marco, coached the Italian second division outfit Bari by the end of December.

Materazzi makes the claim as the chairman of the Iranian Football Federation (IFF) Ali Kafashian has stressed that the national team's coach will be one of the Iranian options already announced by the IFF.

Due to the poor performance of Materazzi during his coaching career, it is highly unlikely that the IFF has contacted him for the post.

... Payvand News - 02/27/08 ... --