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FIRST, no Steven Gerrard.
Then, on Monday, Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez announced in
Bangkok that star striker Fernando Torres would play only a limited
role during the club's tour of Thailand and Singapore.
And, in a likely third blow to Singapore's Reds fans,
influential midfielder Xabi Alonso might not make the trip here to
play the Lions on Sunday if his transfer to Real Madrid
materialises.
The tour, promoted by Strategic Sports Investment, a Profitable
Group Company, was announced on April 22.
Gerrard's court hearing for affray - the reason for the
Liverpool captain's absence from the matches in Thailand and
Singapore - began on Monday. But the date for it had been set on
April 3 - that is, about three weeks earlier.
Yet, print and broadcast advertisements, and even the match
tickets, bear the England international's image though his
appearance looked unlikely. Little wonder then that some Singapore
fans, who have paid $88 or $188 for tickets for the friendly at
Kallang, are disappointed.
Jason Nah, 33, felt 'short-changed'. The personal trainer, who
has travelled to England to watch the team's home matches,
lamented: 'For £30 (S$71), I can get a ticket to watch a
competitive game featuring Liverpool at Anfield.
'For $88, I would at least hope to see the club's best players
in action. I am sure the fans at Kallang would want to see how
Torres runs at defenders and Gerrard firing shots from long
range.
'And it is not fair to the fans that the advertising for this
tour featured Gerrard - and he's not coming to Singapore.'
Added civil servant Thomas Tey: 'To be fair to the fans, I hope
Liverpool will take the Singapore match seriously by playing
entertaining football and not just go through the motions.
