REDS AROUND THE WORLD: MALAYSIA
Jonno Lim, Malaysia 13 January 2009

Meet 32-year-old events manager Jonno Lim, who helps run an independent supporters’ club and gets up at the crack of dawn to catch the Reds in action with hundreds of other fans in a crowded Malaysian bar.
Like most things, my association with the Malaysian independent supporters' club started with a few beers. After meeting on the fans' forum Red and White Kop (RAWK), we decided that as there were a fair number of us Reds in the same corner of the world, the least we could do was watch a game together in a bar.

Liverpool ran home 3-0 winners over Everton at Goodison Park that day in August 2003, with Michael Owen scoring a brace and Harry Kewell getting the third goal just before the final whistle.

Having supported the club from afar for so long, it felt very special to be enjoying a Liverpool victory with a few like-minded people. I had watched the Reds with friends before, but nothing like this. Even the owner of the Boardwalk on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur was a Reds fanatic, so it became known as the closest thing any Malaysian Red could get to the special Anfield atmosphere.

There are so many Liverpool fans in this part of the world, and they all have their own story to tell. Some adopt the Reds because of their history, others simply get drawn in by the miracle of Istanbul in 2005 or the breathtaking 'Gerrard Final' of 2006.





The only reason I can offer for following the Reds is probably quite similar to most people's - all of my family are massive Liverpool fans. It goes way back to the seventies and beyond, so it was a no-brainer for me to be the same as them.

My earliest memory is of Michael Thomas and Ian Rush securing the FA Cup for Liverpool with great goals against Sunderland at Wembley in 1992. I can also vividly remember Neil 'Razor' Ruddock holding his head after scoring a late equaliser in the dramatic 3-3 draw with Manchester United in January 1994.

Nigel Clough scored twice that day, but the look on Ruddock's face will remain with me forever - the ball hit him on the top of his head before going in the net and he seemed in quite a lot of pain while celebrating his decisive goal at Anfield. I couldn't stop laughing.

As time went by, my Liverpool obsession grew. We experienced many joyous Saturday and Sunday nights at the Boardwalk over the years and celebrated many great Liverpool victories there. But our friend, Bala, soon told us he had to sell his bar and we were left with nowhere to watch our beloved Reds during the early hours of the morning over here in Malaysia.

And when the new owner of the Boardwalk told us they would not be opening for the 2007 Champions League final clash with AC Milan due to the fact it would be kicking off at 3.30am over here, we knew that we had to act quickly to find a new venue.

After a long and frustrating search, we finally found a small pub that would open for the match. We got in touch with our friends and fellow supporters to join us for the big game, as we knew that whenever Liverpool was involved in a big European game, it was guaranteed to be something special.





We only really expected about 50 people to turn up at the most, but the bar ended up being crammed full with about 200 fans, all screaming at the screen, willing on the Reds. We were all disappointed that Rafa's men did not win that night in Athens, but a few of us knew right then that not only did we need a bigger venue, but also a proper fan club to bring all of these Liverpool supporters together.

We called our new supporters' club 'MyRAWK', as most of us had met through RAWK, while the ‘My’ stands for Malaysia and also gives us a sense that a certain part of LFC can belong to us individually.

Things were tough at the beginning, but settling on the M Bar as our exclusive home for watching all the games helped us a lot. The owner agreed to open up at all the unsociable hours involved in supporting a club many miles away and laid on a host of generous drinks offers.

What started as a small MyRAWK blog soon turned into a full website, and before long we had Liverpool fans joining us from all over for our match-viewing parties. From local lawyers to homesick expats, tourists to ex players (Ian Rush once even joined us - that was a very special day), the M Bar is now full of fervent fans week in, week out. I usually take up the microphone at each event and am always proud to be the official master of ceremonies.

We even have our futsal team and are also in the process of setting up a full 11-a side side. Our interim team recently won our first trophy, the Christmas Cup and one day we hope to have a proper team which takes part in the local social league.




But due to the exchange rate and distance, not many of us have been lucky enough to get over to Anfield. I am currently saving up to make the pilgrimage one day next season with a few other fans. I'm sure that once we get up close to Liverpool's hallowed home, there will be many of us who will be close to tears, as this would be nothing short of our visiting our very own Mecca.

One of our newer members, Phil, who now lives in Liverpool, always talks about how unbelievable it is that a bunch of guys who have never seen the Reds play up close can wake up in the middle of the night to support a team who are playing nearly 7,000 miles away, only to go back to bed and rise for work less than two hours later.

But none of us at MyRAWK would have it any other way. Witnessing another Liverpool victory make all the long, sleepy days in the office after a match worth it - and believe you me, there have been a lot of those in recent years.

Jonno was speaking to Joe Curran

SOURCE

DIEGO: VICTORY WOULD BE FOR MY DAD

Diego Cavalieri claims Liverpool are desperate to up their game in the cup competitions this season - starting with a victory over Leeds United tonight which the Brazilian would dedicate to his late father.


The Reds were eliminated in the fourth round of both domestic knockouts in 2008-09 - meaning Pepe Reina's understudy got to play just four games throughout the term.

Cavalieri is now hoping to make a fifth Liverpool appearance at Elland Road, where a win would be devoted to a supportive dad who died last month.

He told Liverpoolfc.tv: "For me, it was really bad news. My father started with me in football and gave me a lot of support. But I need to work hard, keep my focus and play.

"Before, every game was for him - and now that continues. I think a victory will be very important for Liverpool and for him."

Liverpool have not won a major trophy since the 2006 FA Cup - a fact Cavalieri admits he and his teammates are desperate to change.

"All the competitions are important," he said "When you don't win trophies it's difficult. The fans want trophies and I think we need to win some this year - that is important for the club and the supporters.

"It's an important competition for me too because whenever you play you have to do well and show your quality.

"The Carling Cup was frustrating last season, losing to Tottenham when we'd been winning in the league. For me, I wanted to win and continue in the cup. We lost too early.

"This game is very dangerous but if we work hard, work together and have intensity, we can win.

"With Liverpool, whatever game it is, you need to win - there is pressure to win."

Leeds are currently top of League One and are one of just four teams still unbeaten in the Football League.

Cavalieri has done his homework on the West Yorkshire outfit and knows the Reds will be up against it if they are to continue on the road to Wembley.

"They are a team that plays with intensity," said the 26-year-old. "They like to play a long ball and they are strong - but these things are normal in England.

"I know about their record this season. It makes it difficult for us because when a team is winning they play with confidence. This is an important factor on this game.

"The fans are important but they are outside of the pitch. It's good for Leeds but the fans are not on the pitch so they are not a problem for us.

"I played in Wembley 10 years ago with the national U17s team, but that was the old Wembley. Now it's new and it would be important to play there, but all we can think about now is Leeds."

Meanwhile, Cavalieri revealed why he is a different goalkeeper than the one who arrived from South America more than a year ago.

"I think I have more confidence now and am more adapted," he said. "It was difficult for me when I arrived because in Brazil they play differently.

"The goalkeeper doesn't need to stay high and doesn't need to play with his feet all the time. The game is not as intense and here in England the pitches are always wet - that makes it difficult for goalkeepers.

"For me, (goalkeeping coach) Xavi Valero is very important. He talks with me all the time, shows me videos of other teams, shows me how to play in England and talks with me all the time.

"When I came here he told me that when the team plays high, I have to play high, and that was new for me. All the time he shouted at me, 'Diego, go high, go high.'

"All this is very important to me. When you don't play too much you have to work hard, and Xavi works hard with me.

"He's improved me physically, mentally and with the small details."

Being number two to one of the world's greatest goalkeepers requires a lot of patience - but Cavalieri is not one to go banging on the manager's door.

"It's good because you learn a lot," he said. "I had this situation at Palmeries in Brazil. I had a challenge with Marcos, who was a fantastic goalkeeper and played in the 2002 World Cup.

"They don't make mistakes, so it's difficult for me to play. But when you train together you learn a lot."

huhuhu new thread
hope we can beat the whites tonite
sols , tonite game 2.40am astro supersports (811)

wow!! i love the quotes section, esp on rafa, good job sols!

tonite will be a game against leeds? FA cup?