It was the early & late show for Arsenal as goals at both ends of the game saw them beat Blackburn 2-0 & move 5 points clear at the top of the Premiership. Click here for the latest outright betting!

Newly appointed Iran coach Javier Clemente has said he is relishing the prospect of trying to lead the team to qualification for a fourth World Cup.

“For me it is a really great challenge,” the 57-year-old Spaniard told AS. “They live football there with exactly the same emotion as here. It’s really beautiful.”

Clemente, who visited Iran last week, said he believed the team had a goood chance of qualifying for the finals in South Africa in 2010.

“The players are very skilful, but a little slow,” the former Spain and Serbia coach said. “They play a patient passing game and there is plenty of work to do, but they have been Asian champions and they have potential.”

Clemente confirmed he would continue to live in the Basque Country on the north coast of Spain and would travel to Iran to prepare for the qualifers.

“I will live in my house on the beach in Zarautz and travel to Tehran a week or two before the games and whenever is necessary,” he said.

“To be coach of Iran you don’t have to live there. You can only see one match live at a time and the rest you have to study on the video and as far as I know the video works the same in Tehran and Zarautz.

“Iran is just like Spain in that there are only 30 or so players that really need to be followed and that isn’t such a difficult task. You compile reports about each one and the squad will develop from that.

“My aim is to get Iran into the 2010 World Cup and I’m not concerned about anything else.”

It was the early & late show for Arsenal as goals at both ends of the game saw them beat Blackburn 2-0 & move 5 points clear at the top of the Premiership. Click here for the latest outright betting!