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Club Focus - Liverpool - The People of Thailand & Singapore vs. Xabi Alonso
A Liverpool midfielder shuffled nervously in his seat, his body language giving away his apprehension at the verdict that awaits him. His interrogator addressed the captivated crowd, turned to the player, and asked the question that Liverpool fans everywhere are desperate to hear the answer to: “Xabi, are you going to stay at the club?’
 If Xabi Alonso had hoped that news of his apparent desire to leave Liverpool hadn’t reached Bangkok then he was to be disappointed. Thai fans held up banners pleading with the fans’ favourite to stay, with the master of ceremonies at a sponsorship event churning out the difficult questions at a rate of knots. Alonso remained non-committal, merely thanking the fans for their support, but it’s difficult to escape the feeling that his mind is already made up. In case you’ve missed it, the elegant Spanish midfielder is wanted by Real Madrid in what’s become the second most annoying transfer story of the summer after John Terry’s search for his loyalty.
Clearly Alonso had a very impressive campaign last season, often controlling games from the middle of the Liverpool midfield and only being beaten by Steven Gerrard (careful now) to the Liverpool player of the year award. Should he decide to move on it would be a huge loss to Rafa Benitez and his team. A breakdown in communication between player and manager - which came into focus during last summer’s Gareth Barry saga but began long before that - ensures that last week’s ‘showdown talks’ between Benitez and Alonso would have been worth a listen, with the player more than entitled to cite his manager’s willingness to sell him last summer as a reason why he should be allowed to go now.
This time last year, during the height of the seemingly never-ending Barry story, an Anfield friendly against Lazio a week before the start of the season was turned into an Alonso love-in. Fans exploded whenever the midfielder sprayed out a trademark, long-range pass, took a corner or even just tied his shoelace. They were letting Benitez know in no uncertain terms just what they thought of his plan to dispense with his compatriot, whilst also reassuring Alonso that he was still a key man in their eyes. This time around, with the manager now aware of just how important the player is to the club, it fell to supporters on the other side of the world to try and re-sell the club to the player. Yes, Liverpool have been preparing for the new season in Asia, in a no-way-transparent attempt to sell shirts, boost ‘brand values’ and take care of other such scary sounding terminology that the modern football fan has to put up with.
In the on-pitch action - probably amongst the least important factors in these types of tours - the Reds drew 1-1 with the Thai national side in a monsoon-battered Bangkok, a match notable for a goal and a confidence boosting display from the Dutchman Ryan Babel, before a 5-0 win in Singapore that brought two goals for promising reserve striker Krisztian Nemeth and three assists for a typically industrious Dirk Kuyt. The Reds were mobbed everywhere they went in Asia - a tour organised by former Liverpool and Everton midfielder Steve McMahon, who works as a TV pundit in Singapore in between making failed bids for Newcastle. Thousands of fans camped out to watch training sessions, sponsorship events were packed out and a local Thai news channel had a permanent presence in the team’s Bangkok hotel, a hotel that fans checked in to just to be near their heroes. Fans from Bangkok.
Apologies had to be made to disappointed supporters who’d seen images of Gerrard in promotional material and presumed that he’d be there, but they were happy to be in the presence of some of their other heroes. Fernando Torres, the star turn in the captain’s absence, was particularly popular. The Reds’ No 9 was besieged by fans determined to know everything from when he got his new haircut to his favourite Thai dish. The really difficult questions though, were reserved for Alonso. “I was talking to him and telling him to listen to the fans here in Singapore. They love Xabi. I said to him, "Maybe you have to stay",” said Benitez. Alonso couldn’t fail to listen those fans in Singapore, or in Thailand. He’ll have weighed up the evidence both for and against their case. Now it’s time for the verdict.
Liverpool Club Focus
The People of Thailand & Singapore vs. Xabi Alonso - July 29
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