Shamsaee hopes for Iranian encore

AFC - Reigning AFC Futsal Player of the Year Vahid Shamsaee of Iran has set his sights on an encore when the AFC Annual Awards takes place in Shanghai on November 25.

Shamsaee, who was named the MVP in the AFC Futsal Championship in Thailand this year, has again been nominated for the award along with his compatriot Mostafa Nazari and Japan’s Daisuke Ono.

“I am happy to be nominated for this prestigious honour. If either I or our goalkeeper Mostafa win the award, it will add glory to Iranian futsal,” he told www.the-afc.com.

“My nomination proves that I am consistently performing better at a higher level. I feel 2008 was a better year for me compared to last year because I was again named MVP in Thailand and was placed in the top ten futsal players in the FIFA Futsal World Cup in Brazil recently,” he added.

Iran qualified for the second round in the FIFA Futsal World Cup for the first time since 1992 and missed the semi-final berth by a whisker. They were held by Italy 5-5 and failed to qualify for the last four phase on goal difference.

The 33-year-old, however, regrets missing the crucial match against Italy through suspension.

“Our performance was very good in Brazil but unfortunately we ran out of luck and were eliminated after a 5-5 draw against Italy in the second round.”

“I played in Italy before and my knowledge could have helped in that match but I had to sit out.”

Praising Nazari, Shamsaee said: “Mostafa has been in terrific form this year. He was fantastic against Japan in the semi-final of the AFC Futsal Championship and his unbelievable saves forced everyone to sit and take note in Brazil.”

“I will be more than happy if he (Nazari) wins the award because it will bring the trophy back to Iran,” he added.