1: Iraq's Asian Cup win

There is little doubt of the story of the year and not just in Asia. Iraq’a Asian Cup success was one for the romantics – a real fairy tale. A number of players had lost family members and friends in the ongoing conflict, the team hadn’t played a home game for years and coach Jorvan Vieira took the reins just weeks prior to the competition after his predecessor resigned due to safety fears.

Despite the problems, this darkest of dark horses shocked pre-tournament favourites Australia in the group stage, disposed of a doughty South Korean team in the semi-finals before Younis Mahmoud headed home the winner in an emotional final against Saudi Arabia.

It made headlines around the world and rightly so.

2:Manchester United's Malaysian mess

"It is disrespectful… Frankly, it is a colonial way of thinking. It is not fair play at all."

Manchester United arrogant? The club has been accused of such a trait before but this time they were forced to admit defeat after their savaging from the president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Mohamed Bin Hammam.

The Premier League champions had angered Asian authorities by arranging a Kuala Lumpur exhibition match just two days after the Malaysian capital - a city that had always been lukewarm about the Asian Cup - was due to stage the semi-final of the continental competetion.

The AFC stood up to the mighty Reds and, apart from a few fans in Malaysia, forced a cancellation that that was applauded all over the giant continent. It was a good day for Asian football.

3: English trials for Yasser Al-Qahtani and Nashat Akram

While Chinese, Japanese, Iranian and South Korean players have been heading west to try their fortunes in the European leagues for a number of years, we are still waiting for an Arab player to really make it big.

In recent days, two of the best, Yasser Al-Qahtani and Nashat Akram have been on trial with Manchester City. Al-Qahtani, the 2007 Asian player of the year, failed to agree a deal while his Iraqi counterpart still has time.

Whatever the outcome, the trials signalled that it is only a matter of time before an Arabian is active in England and Europe's other big leagues.

4: South Korean players in England

What is it with South Koreans and England? Lee Dong-guk moved to Middlesbrough in January to take the nation’s representation in the Premier League to four. The quartet’s fortunes may have fluctuated in 2007 but that hasn’t stopped players like Song Chong-guk, Choi Sung-guk, Lee Ho, Kim Do-heon and Cho Jae-jin engaging in talks/ trials with other English clubs in the run-up to the opening of the transfer window.

Expect more movement over the next few weeks.

5: Rebirth of Indian football

India is the new China – or so a growing number of interested English clubs hope. Whether that is true or not, the cricket-mad nation is starting to develop a passion for football. The beautiful game has deep roots in the country with the Durand Cup the third oldest competition in the world.

One of the newest is the I-League – a professional ten-team league that has enjoyed a promising start. Can India fulfill its potential? It will take a long time but foundations were laid in 2007.

6: Ex-Thai Pm buys Man City

English fans have been concerned about the growing American interest in taking over Premier League clubs but it was Thaksin Shinawatra’s purchase of Manchester City that was the most controversial. City fans didn’t care about ‘Frank’s’ shady human rights record as he pumped money into the blue half of Manchester and the club floated to the top.

The former PM also has signed three of his compatriots for the club, given trials to two of west Asia's best and aims to make City one of the biggest in Asia.

7: South-east Asia’s resurgence

The Asian Football Confederation was blasted for giving the Asian Cup to four hosts but in three of them at least, there was much to be pleased about.

Vietnam won regional bragging rights by progressing to the knockout stage. Indonesia impressed the most off the pitch as over 250,000 passionate locals watched their three group games in Jakarta. Thailand made light work of Oman in the group stage but saw their quarter-final hopes dashed by Australia.

Malaysia let the region down in spectacular fashion but it was a good tournament for south-east Asia.

8: Continued chaos in Iran

On and off the field, it hasn’t been a great year for Iran. Stars such as Ali Karimi, Mehdi Mahdavikia and Vahid Hashemian struggled at times in the Bundesliga. Javad Nekounam was much more impressive in Spain with Osasuna before sustaining major ligament damage that has kept him out of action this season.

The national team bowed out of the Asian Cup at the quarter-final stage and a number of European coaches turned down a position which is still vacant just weeks ahead of the start of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

The Iranian Football Federation’s relations with FIFA are still troublesome.

It has been a year to forget.

9: Urawa Reds' Asian Champions League triumph

The Asian Champions League has, at times, struggled for credibility in East Asia. This was especially true in Japan where clubs saw the trophy as a poor return for a great deal of hard work. Urawa Reds changed all that and stormed to the final.

Urawa's semi-final tussle with Korean giants Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma showed what continental football should be about and the defeat of Sepahan in the final in front of 60,000 fans gave the competition the exposure it needed.

10: Australian failure in Asia

With Premier League stars such as Harry Kewell, Tim Cahill, Mark Viduka and Lucas Neill to call upon, it was no surprise that the Socceroos were installed as the clear favourites to lift the Asian Cup - Neill even predicted an unbeaten run to the title.

It didn’t quite work out that way as the 2006 World Cup heroes struggled in south-east Asia. Only a last-minute equalizer from Cahill rescued a point in the opening game against Oman. It got worse in the next game as Iraq outplayed and outfought the Aussies.

The competition provided Australia with a wake-up call. Asia isn't going to be the walk in the park that some had expected.

hmmmm nice....