Asian Player of the Year (POY) Award

Yasser Al-Qahtani from Saudi Arabia won the Asian Player of the Year award Wednesday and while discussing this issue on Iranian soccer forum Irankicks.com, an Iraqi member brought up a very valid point. Since Iraq won the Asian cup and since traditionally AFC POY are given to best palyer of the team that wins the title, this POY award should have gone to Younus Mahmood from Iraq.

Younis Mahmoud was also my choice because was very instrumental to Iraq's win of Asian Cup 2007. Yasser Al-Qahtani is a great and consistent player but according to traditions of AFC in the past, should have gone to Younis Mahmoud from Iraq. This has raised some concern around the Asian soccer fan community on how AFC decided to change the tradition and the system to pick the POY. I ran into this great and well put article on this issue and the poor system of AFC on goal.com by John Duerden who is the Asian editor of that site. Click here to read his article.