TEHRAN - Iranian women's volleyball coach, Samira Imani Fouladi, has talked about her ambitions after starting a new chapter in her career in Europe.

Imani joined the Portuguese team AJM FC Porto as a coach and became the first Iranian women's coach to work in Europe.

“I've started my work in the Porto's women team. Mr. Carlos Carrêno, the head coach of the team, give us the plans for every training session and everything is according to the program. I was warmly welcomed by the club officials, especially Marria Augosta Moreira, the general manager of Porto's women's volleyball team.

“I'm looking forward to putting myself under the club's orders to make better days for FC Porto's volleyball,” Imani said in his interview with Tehran Times.

AJM FC Porto have hired two Iranians for the women's volleyball team. Zahra Moghani, 19, a setter and a promising volleyball talent, who stole the show in the Asian U17 Volleyball Championship in 2018. The blue and white team have also hired Samira Fouladi, who joined the technical staff led by Spanish expert Carlos Carreño.

“According to club officials, I am the first women who have ever worked as a coach in Porto's volleyball teams at all levels; I'm proud of that, and I hope to have positive effects on the club,” added Imani.

When asked about Italian coach Alessandra Campedelli, who was named as new head coach of Iran's women's volleyball team on Sunday, Imani said: “She comes from a country where women's volleyball has a lot to say. From a few months ago, I knew that FIVB would introduce a world-class coach to the Iranian volleyball federation. They introduced Alessandra Campedelli, which is very good for the Iranian women's volleyball.

“As a person who worked as assistant coach of Majda Cicic, former head coach of Iran national women's volleyball team, I'm sure that high-level foreign coach can help Iranian volleyball to improve. They have a lot of things to teach to our volleyball in the long term,” Imani concluded.