Zamon.info
December 10

Iraq were named 2003 Asian Team of the Year last night while SV Hamburg's Iran striker Mehdi Mahdavikia was named Asian Player of the year.

The Asian Football Confederation said that despite massive disruption caused by the US-led military offensive to topple Saddam Hussein, Iraq defied the odds to qualify for the 2004 Asian Cup finals.

Japan's Yoshito Okubo, 21, was named the Young Player of the Year.

Mahdavikia, 26, beat Thailand's Therdsak Chaiman and Uzbekistan's Dynamo Kiev striker Maksim Shatskikh for the top award.

There was some controversy over Coach of the Year which went to South Korea's Cha Kyung-bok who led Seongnam Chunma to their third straight Korean title.

Frenchman Bruno Metsu, who coached 2002 World Cup surprise team Senegal, and who last season led UAE side Al Ain to the Asian Champions League, was overlooked.

However, Al Ain were named club of the year.

The AFC ruled that non-Asians are ineligible for awards from this season.

"The decision is not mine," AFC president Mohamed bin Hammam said when asked why Metsu had been overlooked.

"We have a good system in place and there is no need to change the manner we pick the winners," he added.

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