AFC Player of the Year criteria revised

Choice of the winner is still based on a weighted ranking system which takes into account performances at major AFC and FIFA tournaments but a four-pronged rationalised approach will be adopted this year.

The new process will take into account the points awarded by AFC Match Commissioners, Technical Study Group, Technical Analysts and, last but not the least, the fans for selecting an MVP of the match.

The match commissioners will nominate an MVP for all the home-and-away games while the technical study group members will select the MVPs in centralised AFC competitions.

Two technical analysts will watch DVDs of the matches and nominate their MVPs, independent of the other, while fans will be invited to nominate their choice for each match through the AFC's official website - www.the-afc.com.

The MVP of the match will be awarded to the player who has received the most nominations from among the match commissioners or TSG, the two technical analysts and the fans.

In case the match commissioner/TSG and fans select a player as an MVP while the technical analysts chose another player, the choice of the latter will be MVP of the match. If the match commissioner and one technical analyst chose a player while another technical analyst and fans chose another, both the players will be selected as MVPs but the points given for this match will be split between the two. In the event that all four parties chose a different player, a third technical analyst will be invited to break the tie.

The total number of points awarded to players will be calculated at the end of the season and players who have accumulated the most number of points will be invited to the AFC Annual Awards to be held in Shanghai on November 25 and will be presented with a nomination trophy.

The winner will be picked among the nominated players by a five-member panel. The panel, which will be present at the awards ceremony, will include a match commissioner, a renowned media representative, a national team coach, a coach from the AFC Champions League 2008 participating clubs, and a coach from the AFC Cup 2008 participating clubs.