Controversy hits AFC award
Controversy hits AFC award
Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur
Manchester United's Park Ji-Sung and other European-based
soccer stars have been barred from the Asian Player of the Year
award because they cannot travel to Malaysia to pick up the
trophy.
The Asian Football Confederation released its shortlist of
three players for the award on Monday, but some of the hot tips
to win were missing.
On the list were talismanic striker Sami Al Jaber from Saudi
Arabian side Al Hilal and seasoned campaigner Maksim Shatskikh,
an Uzbek who plies his trade with Dynamo Kiev.
Joining them is relative newcomer Hamad Al Montashari of Saudi
Arabia, fresh from his successful AFC Champions League title-
winning run with Al Ittihad.
But missing was South Korea's Park and Bayern Munich star Ali
Karimi, who won last year. Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura
and Bolton Wanderers' Hidetoshi Nakata were also notable
absentees.
All were among the final 10.
The AFC said it had made its criteria clear at the outset,
that if players cannot come to Kuala Lumpur for the ceremony on
Nov. 30 they are out of the running.
"It is true that you will not be in the running for the award
if you can't come to the ceremony," an AFC spokeswoman told AFP.
"The presence of the player is crucial in order to give value
to the award ... As a governing body we listed the criteria that
if they can't make it to the ceremony they won't be considered
for the award."
Park has received rave reviews since his move from Dutch
champions PSV Eindhoven to the English Premiership this year
while Karimi has surprised many pundits since his close-season
switch from Al-Ahli to Bayern.
Nakamura has been a big hit in Glasgow since this year's move
from Serie A side Reggina, applauded for his defense-splitting
passes and steady stream of crosses.
Park and Nakata are both in action for their respective clubs
around the time of the ceremony.
The player of the year is chosen by national coaches from the
AFC's 45 federations and AFC executive committee members.