Iran's Masoud Moradi to get rid of blues

Kuala Lumpur: Newly appointed AFC Elite Referee Instructor Masoud Moradi from Iran is giving himself a year to get over the blues of retiring from his colourful and exciting 24 years of referee work.

Having reached the mandatory retirement age of 45 in August last year, Moradi is now enjoying, perhaps, a ‘slower’ career as a referee instructor but this new job is no less exciting to him.

“Yes, I do miss the matches a little, but I guess in one year, this feeling will be gone. Plus, I have a good feeling in this interesting and important new role where I can touch the lives of our new generations of referees,” he said.

Moradi is currently instructing the members of the AFC Project Future Referees Batch 2010 during their First Development Course from May 26 to 31 here in Malaysia’s capital.

The course in his first teaching activity as an elite referee instructor with experienced elite referee instructor from Saudi Arabia Ali Al Traifi as co-instructor.

Regarding this first instructing gig, he said: “This is the first course ever I’m conducting as an elite ref instructor and I need time to become an experienced instructor.

“Fortunately, the many AFC and FIFA referee courses I have attended are also helping me as an instructor. My experience as a referee also helps. Plus, Ali Al Traifi is a good instructor buddy.”

Moradi who has more than 150 matches under his referee belt is also glad for his appointment as both referee instructor and referee assessor by the AFC.

“I’m really happy that the AFC has appointed me as a referee instructor and referee assessor. This is a big responsibility and I’d like to thank the AFC for this trust in me.”