Queiroz to quit Iran after SWC

Rio de Janeiro - Carlos Queiroz will step down as Iran coach after the World Cup because of a lack of financial support from the government, he has said on Thursday.

The Mozambique-born coach said discussions had ended with the Iranian Football Association and that he would not lead the continent's best-ranked team at the 2015 Asian Cup in Australia.

"Yes my connection will finish here at the World Cup," the former Real Madrid manager told Portuguese newspaper Publico in an interview.

"There was not support from the government...there has stopped being a genuine interest because of the financial situation.

"The dialogue has been cut off and I have already decided not to stay."

Queiroz has long bemoaned the financial restrictions he has had to work under with the West Asians, mainly down to the political restrictions placed on the country.

He struggled to arrange warm-up matches for the team after qualifying them for their fourth finals by topping their group last year with only Guinea venturing to Tehran in March to grab a 2-1 friendly win.

Despite the problems and limitations in his squad Queiroz's tactical nous was on full display as the Iranians held African champions Nigeria to a 0-0 draw in their World Cup Group F opener on Monday.

They face an imposing challenge against one of the tournament favourites Argentina on Saturday before finishing their campaign against Bosnia, hoping rather than expecting to make the last 16 for the first time.

The firebrand coach said he had no plans to retire, though, and has set his sights on becoming the first manager to qualify four teams for the World Cup after he led South Africa to the 2002 tournament and Portugal to 2010.

"I still feel well," he said when asked about quitting the game.

"Maybe my next professional choice I will be looking at becoming the first coach to qualify four different teams for the World Cup."

The former Manchester United assistant manager to Alex Ferguson said he had been offered jobs but that his preference was for an international role.

"I've had an offer to stay in Brazil and in England but because of circumstance in my private life it is difficult for me to accept a position at a club," he said.