Atabay’s fascination with the structure of British football led him to attempt bold international negotiations. In 1973, he reached out directly to the legendary English manager Brian Clough. After intense discussions, Clough initially accepted Iran’s offer, but Atabay’s insistence on discipline and adherence to federation rules—such as having an Iranian assistant coach—ultimately caused Clough to withdraw. Atabay later pursued another distinguished British manager, Frank O’Farrell, who did accept the position, leading Iran to victory at the 1974 Asian Games and mentoring Mohajerani, who later guided Iran to the World Cup.
