Aghily or Djeparov to be crowned on Wednesday

PFDC – KUALA LUMPUR, Iran defender Hadi Aghily and Al Shabab midfielder Server Djeparov are the only remaining nominees for the Asian player of the year award.

Due to the Asian football confederation’s (AFC) rather amusing ruling that only players being present at the award show can receive the honor and the other candidates’ inability to show up in Kuala Lumpur, only the two players remain in contention.

The AFC introduced the ruling in 2005 turning a previously honorable award into an international embarassement with Asian average players like Hamad Al Montashiri, Khalfan Ibrahim or the now again nominated Server Djeparov being announced as winners.

Interestingly, the AFC up until today failed to time the award show well enough to make the players not miss important clubs games if attending. This year, several players are unable to travel to Kuala Lumpur due to UEFA Champions League commitments.

Nevertheless, Hadi Aghily is of course pleased about his chances of becoming the fifth Iranian to win the award.

“I’m very happy to be present in this big ceremony and that my name is among the best Asian players”, the 30-year-old told reporters in the official press conference in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

“I’m very hopeful to win this award. In the past few years I’ve performed consistently for my clubs and in the national team.

“I would be very proud to win this title and prolong the list of Ali Karimi, Ali Daei, Mehdi Mahdavikia and Khodadad Azizi, who have won this award before.

“All of them have been great players and a pride for Asia, with Ali Daei for example not only being an Asian star, but also on world stage”, Aghily, who had already been nominated last year, concluded.