Reds amazed by Indonesian reception
Liverpool's U17 players were given a small taste of what life is like for the first-team players they are hoping to emulate when they arrived in Indonesia on Monday.
Having played in front of the biggest crowd of their lives in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday - a game they won 2-1 against Frenz United Malaysia - the Academy youngsters were greeted by a large group of cheering fans upon arrival at Yogyakarta airport. A convoy of supporters on motorcycles - many from the official Indonesian supporters club BIGREDS - then followed the team coach to the hotel before serenading the players with songs from the lobby.
"The reception for the players was incredible," U17 lead coach Des Maher enthused to Liverpoolfc.com. "I've never seen anything like that reception for a team as young as this. We were blown away by the support we received from the fans at the match in Malaysia but today at the airport and then back at the hotel has been quite amazing.
"It's also very humbling to know that these fans have taken the time out on a Monday morning to wait at an airport to greet young players who still have a long way to go before they can think about establishing themselves in the game. We all heard about the reception the first-team players got when they came to Indonesia, but we didn't expect anything for the U17s. All the boys have been blown away by the fans in Malaysia and now here in Indonesia."
Click here to visit the official Liverpool FC Indonesian website>>
One person not surprised by the reception for the youngsters was Anfield favourite Steve McMahon, travelling with the LFC squad as an ambassador for the Frenz International Cup. The former Reds midfielder has been living in Singapore for nine years whilst working as a TV pundit and knows all about the passion for the club in this part of the world.
"I've been telling people for years that Liverpool are absolutely massive in Asia," McMahon told Liverpoolfc.com. "The supporters are absolutely incredible. They know all the songs, they know the history and they even have the humour of the fans back home in Liverpool. They'll stay up until the early hours of the morning to watch our games live and it's not just the first team they support - they follow every player who pulls on an LFC shirt and that's why they know these young lads on this trip. When it comes to their passion for the club, nothing surprises me."
Liverpool will play Frenz United Indonesia at 12.15 UK time on Wednesday in a game you can watch live on LFC TV.
Click on the image below to see over 100 photos from the U17 trip to Asia on the official LFC Facebook page.
