Title: Stability Over Sentiment: Persepolis Management Backs Reza Darvish Amid Fan Pressure
In the high-stakes world of Iranian football, the debate over leadership at one of its most prestigious clubs continues. Recent weeks have seen a segment of Persepolis FC supporters voice criticism against the club’s CEO, Reza Darvish, calling for his dismissal. However, key stakeholders are advocating for stability and long-term strategic planning over reactive changes.
A Call for Rational Decision-Making
Mohammad Mehdi Ahmadi, the CEO of Bank City and a primary decision-maker within the club’s ownership structure, addressed the situation. He characterized the calls for Darvish’s removal as largely emotional and stated that such sentiments should not form the basis for managerial changes at the club.
Ahmadi recalled Darvish’s resignation at the end of the previous season, noting, “When Mr. Darvish initially stepped aside, a large portion of the fans, considering the player acquisitions and the team’s condition, opposed the change and did not allow the board to accept his resignation. Now, some of those same groups are pushing for a change, even though the transfer window has closed and the opportunity for a fundamental decision has passed.”
Learning from the Experience of Rivals
Drawing a comparison with city rivals Esteghlal, Ahmadi highlighted the pitfalls of frequent managerial turnover. “At Esteghlal, several CEOs have changed over two years, but these comings and goings did not yield a positive result. We must learn from this experience and not allow short-term decisions to affect the club’s trajectory,” he asserted.
Emphasizing the scale of the operation, Ahmadi described Persepolis as a major organization with a budget of approximately 1,500 billion tomans, which cannot be run based on “slogans or momentary excitement.”
The Question of a Successor
A central point in Ahmadi’s argument was the question of a viable replacement. He stressed, “If a manager is to be replaced, there must be a worthy and efficient successor. The question is, who would take responsibility if Mr. Darvish leaves? Managing Persepolis means running a massive organization with billion-toman contracts and immense sensitivities, not making decisions under pressure from a few fan chants.”
Bank City’s Role in Supporting the Club
Ahmadi also detailed the supportive role played by Bank City, a major stakeholder. “Bank City has stood by Persepolis at many critical junctures. For example, in the final days of the transfer window, when the club faced time and financial constraints, we intervened and registered contracts for 11 players to prevent a crisis for the team. This shows that ownership should not only be judged during a crisis, but one must see what support has been provided in practice.”
A Plea for Long-Term Vision
In a final message to the passionate Persepolis fanbase, Ahmadi called for perspective. “The emotional atmosphere can change every week, but our duty is the long-term management of the club. If the club’s policy were to change every time there is a gathering and chanting, the result would be nothing but instability. Persepolis needs rational and stable decisions, and we, as the owner, must follow this path.”