Liverpool, currently on tour in Malaysia, had an interesting and — thankfully for one spectator — non-violent incident in the stands involving a brave soul and his choice of fashion.
The fan wearing a Wayne Rooney Manchester United shirt was booed, taunted and eventually stripped of his shirt at Liverpool’s open training session in Malaysia. The YouTube video’s explanation was that the fan showed off the jersey, kissing the Man United badge and screaming “champions” in front of the crowd. The response to this from the fans was less than friendly, as the booing and chanting began, while he eventually was removed of his shirt and later left to a chorus of “Liverpool” chants.
A few opinions on this, especially considering the nature of the story in light of the Newcastle incident. First, sports culture in general dictates that people care a bit too much sometimes about their teams and rivals. By wearing a rival’s shirt to a game you can already expect to get a bit of a hassle from the other side. If you can deal with that, good for you. However, there is a difference between wearing the shirt and how you act while wearing said shirt. The fan (according to the person who uploaded the video) allegedly acted out and taunted the Liverpool faithful, which is not a good decision and a real show of a lack of common sense. Whether its football, or just life in general, you don’t roll into a place full of people who all agree on something and start saying the opposite, especially if you are outnumbered.
The real weird part of it is that as of last time I checked, Manchester United was in America, and not currently playing Liverpool in Malaysia. It’s one thing to support your team at their rival’s place, but it’s a whole different thing to wear the shirt when your team is not even in your country at the time.
Yeah…. he deserved it.
Funny how the part about taunting Liverpool fans and kissing the badge conveniently wasn’t caught on video. Im sure it wont be long before Rooney/Utd have him as a guest for a game at old trafford.
I am still hungover from last night so I am not fully caught up on all things Liverpool that happened in the past 24 hours.
Where did you read/see that?
As a Liverpool supporter part of me thinks he must have at least been prepared for such a reaction but, a part of me feels really sorry for the guy (based on what I see in the video).
When I was at the Merseyside derby several years back at Anfield an Everton supporter sat in amongst Liverpool fans wearing his Everton kit. He was heckled and eventually escorted out of the Liverpool section but, at least he could take the verbal abuse. This dude looks like he is going to cry.
At derbies Liverpool and Everton fans sit in each others ends all the time. Yeah there is heckling but in Liverpool people generally don’t care who you support apart from the odd banter.
Sorry, I am an idiot.
I did not read the write-up after the video. I just watched the video.
Exactly. The kid didn’t look like he would hurt a fly. Convenient that there’s no proof.
Just another example of Liverpool fans having no class on a global scale.
No he didnt deserve that i would of decked any of those assholes if they even tried to touch me.
My thoughts exactly. Its one thing giving the kid some abuse that’s to be expected showing up at a Lvierpool game wearing a Utd shirt but the second the bald fella and the muppet in the #8 shirt puts a hand on you all rules are off.
Does anyone really think they would have tried to do the same if it had been a grown man instead of a skinny kid or if it had of been someone who looked less like a local and more like a your typical Brit, no chance.
the bald fella and the #8 looks like his football buddies, I think…
Looks like he refuses an offer for a replacement jersey.
Right – and then would of gotten jumped by about 100 other guys….
You are dumb enough to wear a rivals jersey to an event like that (where there are nothing but Liverpool supporters), then you deserve to be shamed.
Erm… i’d like to refute on your “…nothing but liverpool supporters” statement. That stadium isn’t only full of “nothing but liverpool supporters”. There are also neutral fans – Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal, even R.Madrid or Barcelona supporters – there to enjoy a game of football, to watch football stars where people can only see on TV. Wearing a ManUtd jersey may be quite a risky move, especially being in a crowd of scousers, but it’s all about freedom of speech and expression. Ain’t it? To boo off someone because of difference, what’s so different from racism then?
Also dont forget at most of these pre season tour games overseas they generally dont have designated areas for home or away fans. You get a ticket and you could be sitting with your teams fans or a mixture of both teams.
The EPL has designated areas for away fans for a reason to prevent any trouble amongst fans but in all the UTd game ive been to here in the USA you’re mixed in with opposing fans, never a problem other than the usual banter happens between rival fans.
Not condoning anything that happened here, but thought I’d point out that this happened during a training session that was open to the public in Kuala Lumpur (sp?) where 38,000+ fans showed up…for a training session—yes, LFC is that awesome!! (hahaha)
So, I guess my point is that this wasn’t a normal friendly match where you’d expect at least more than a few neutrals. While there may have been a stray neutral, the ManU fan for example, it was a decidedly LFC event and crowd.
That being said, again this got way out of hand and there are always going to be folks who take things too far and those that will follow the crowd/herd. It’s too bad there wasn’t enough staff on hand to ward this off (perhaps b/c it was only a training session).
At least the lad wasn’t hurt, perhaps shamed a bit, but he wasn’t physically harmed. Thank the ghost of Shankly for that.
An event like that? Who knew that Malaysians have a hard on for Liverpool?
i missed the part where he was taunting the liverpool fans so maybe he does deserve it a little bit but i still wouldnt let anybody touch me.
According to the description on the youtube video that’s what they said. Of course they also said they arnt a Liverpool fan which is hard to believe when you’re at a Liverpool game in Malaysia.
Well, the dude in the video is a United supporter at a Liverpool game in Malaysia.
To which replies to Slug’s comment there. There are as many neutral fans as there are of Liverpool fans. Jersey is just a cover up! LOL.
stupid Malays, they have absolutely nothing to do with UK and have no reason to support either team. They have even less right to taunt someone like that. If I were him I couldve decked a few of those dirty f*ers to the floor. and no im not a united supporter
poor dan if you are British you shd be proud of having England’s clubs to be that well popular worldwide, even in Malay. Don’t you guys always claim EPL is the best in the world? If EPL’s clubs failed to collect fans all over the world, what was the meaning of world’s best? i am a MU fan for the past 20 years in far east asia, and i almost watched every MU’s game on live in our time even after midnight, although i am not British, so what?
To me, it was just like a comedy show, it just reminds me those so-called BRAVED MU’s fans went hanging a slogan at Anfield. People were just making fun there, deeply i believe the MU’s fan was just trying to show off in front of the KOP, I don’t see any real dangerous to his life there and i don’t see the real anger on the KOPs’ faces, it was just a joke, and everybody was just playing fool around there.
p.s. dan, do u know that both MU and Liverpool are mainly owned by Americans? and do u know that MU is planing to be listed in Hong Kong? if you want, you can have the same right to join me to be the shareholder of MU, and no i m not British nor Malays…
Brilliant move by the youngster. Jeesh…Wot a match!!
Total bollocks. If idiot boy had been wearing an Aston Villa or Fulham shirt the other idiots wouldn’t have had a clue what team it was. All it proves is the power of marketing for ManUre, that’s all.
That is a teenage kid those bullies are picking on. Soccer is a faggot sport
And it is really tough of you to use homophobic comments on a talkboard.
same type of poster that goes on gay porn sites to complain about indecency!
What’s “Liverpool”? #CHAMP19NS
That kid will be totally fine in Northeast, I guess
I just came from MU game in Gillette, stadium have quite a few Carlsberg, Standard and Charter shirt, NOBODY care, absolutely Nobody!
This boy was stupid to wear that shirt knowing it would be mostly all liverpool fans there to see the training session. He got some abuse from the Liverpool fans, but if that had of been a Liverpool fan in amongst Utd fans he would have probably got a kicking.
If the boy was taunting the Liverpool fans in the stadium, then I guess he got what he deserved. I’m surprised his father or uncle or whoever it was with him didn’t tell him to shut up and warn him of the consequences. There were two adult men with him. And for not discouraging him from wearing a United jersey to a Liverpool game in the first place, knowing full well the potential for some unwanted attention from the Liverpool supporters. Bad chaperoning on the part of the adults. But it seems like the boy swallowed his bitter medicine. I’m not condoning the actions of the Malaysian LFC fans for one second, but you get what you give. I think the whole lot came in a family; looked like his brother/sister/cousin & father & uncle. Because of this boy’s stupidity, I’m sure their experience was a little soured.
It’s like that one Yankees fan who shows up to the random game at your home park… it’s just like… how sad and deprived of attention are you?
Not nearly as sad and deprived of attention as you are for posting your comment.
Ditto to what Mad Andy said, part of that problem was from the Man Utd. marketing. No one would of cared if he wore a Rovers shirt.
Poor kid, it’s scary what a mob mentality can force upon one person. That’s really sad. I guess they have their own ways over in Malaysia.
Then again, every Man Utd. supporter I’ve ever met has been a brainless caveman idiot.
If that’s the case, you need to get out more.
OMG, what did I just say??? Stop comparing that KID to any other fan. He was not an adult. He was a misguided teenager who was just starving for attention. It’s his dad’s fault for not disciplining him. if he wanted to have a good time, he could have just left his united jersey at home and come to watch the practice with the other fans. how many opportunities do u get to see some of the world’s best footballers. why ruin that opportunity just to attract the attention of being the odd one out? I am an Arsenal fan, but I went to the all-star game in houston because my bro is a united supporter, but i just kept quiet. plus, even if i had done something stupid, the ppl would’ve probably ignored it. americans are too civil to engage in this kind of “bullying”.
The kid was an idiot for the reasons stated in the article. At least travel with a group and / or know when to move on.
It’s really a shame that he was humiliated like that but I think he at least knew he was never going to be harmed. It seem to actually be the converse; they all seem to be taunting him in in a good humored way. Maybe if he took it in good humor too, he could have even saved face a little.
Just proves that Liverpool fans even in the far east are scumbags.
From Rooney’s twitter:
WayneRooney
“The lad who went to watch Liverpool train in mufc top with my name on the back is a legend.”
by wearing MU shift and watch Reds game can be a legend? hhhmmm very soon we will be having thousands of legends…hahahaha..stupid statement
As a United fan, I think the kid sort of got what he deserved. I believe in free speech but there are just some things you don’t do. Violence would be the worst thing possible and if that kid threw any punches, it really could have become ugly. I understand the pride fans have in supporting their clubs against rivals but what happened really isn’t surprising. Besides, that kid is going to be benefit from the attention now after Rooney called him a legend.
looks like the relatives around him are wearing team kits. maybe that was the only kit he owned? still, a sense of humor would have gone a long way.
dan, in case you haven’t noticed, quite a few PL teams travel to asia during the summer to help develop their customer base. those fans are not british (duh). you claim only brits should support PL teams, but your club believes the opposite. who is right in this pissing contest?
Sounds like a typical thing for a united prick to do
my bro in law was aroud there. he said, this fellow was showing off. if he sat quietly, nobody would have said anything. he was provoking his relatives who were obviously liverpool fan and that backfired when one or two from the crowd started shouting buka (take off the shirt)! hehe
dan’s statement of supporting your own ‘kind’ is racist and backward.
does that mean that only the Swiss can support Roger Federer? And only the Americans can follow an NBA franchise? Hmmm Jordan was born in NY, why did he play for Chicago and Washington? that’s blasphemous!
dan, can a brit watch an American movie? or should they support only British movies?
humiliating infront of thousands and now millions watching you tube, I would sue all those LVFC F***ers. And “DAN”….he was INDIAN, not MALAY you stupid f***.
Hats off to the guy for having the courage to wear what he wanted to wear and even if they eventually persuaded him to take it off he was equally adamant about not wearing the offered LFC shirt. I support LFC but to take my support to this level is shameful and certainly not acceptable. There is no such thing as common sense; what’s common to me is certainly not common to the next fellow!
Im a malaysian and he is my fren, i know him very well.. He never did anything like
“showing off the jersey, kissing the Man United badge and screaming “champions” in front of the crowd”..
He never provoked anyone into doing anything..
The guy that uploaded the must be a real a**hole for lying like this.. Just because you are a liverpool fan, u cant just create up a story blaming the MU fan.. Its the f***in Liverpool fan that started to disturb him and resulting in this..
im neither of ur friends. but i was a spectator and he did exactly what he did. the main reason they crucified him was not of his jersey. but of his actions. people who were there would know the idiotic things he did to provoke the liverpool fans. he can count himself very lucky that he chose to do this in malaysia. if this was in any another country like greece or argentina. he’d surely be severly injured or even killed. fair play and respect each other teams please. saying this i am a manchester united supporter but judging how rooney and the various manchester united fans behave as though their club has the divine right to insult people. i’m seriously ashamed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CPY2wGFAME&feature=watch_response
this is the guy?
I’m a LFC fan but I am totally disgusted by the bullying of 1 sorry looking skinny guy who had the wrong shirt on. Granted, the guy’s an idiot for wearing a Man U shirt (whith Rooney’s name some more!) to a liverpool training session. But those so called LFC fans who abused him are nothing but bullies and a disgrace to Malaysia and Liverpool.
They’re like the bloody BN who won’t let people wear yellow shirts with bersih printed on them.
@Azec: plz stop defending the wrongdoing of ur friend. if u don’t want to admit that what he did was wrong, ok. but don’t defend his stupid actions. you should be talking some sense into your friend, not defending him on a public forum solely on the basis that he’s your friend. it makes you look insensible and village-like.
I received an email from a friend showing the kid didn’t go home crying..
He was back wearing a Malaysian jersey
The whole story came out in the Malaysian Star newspaper with pictures…
He did became a minor legend
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/7/16/nation/9116008&sec=nation
rgds
bala
I think its a pretty sick in a world where your harrased by animals to take of your shirt. Its a summer tour for goodness sakes. No one has the right to tell anyone what to do. He obviously payed for the ticket.
To everyone here who legitimized the actions of the Lievrpool supporters, your lower then filth, honestly. It is 2011 not 1811. I would have been filing a law suit over the stadium and staff at my law firm.
What was more sickening and frightening isthat there were no stewards or staff at the grounds to help the boy. YOU CAN WEAR WHAT YOU WANT. THIS IS NOT COMMUNISM.
I will repeat, any supporter on here who ligitimizes the actions toward the Manchester United supporter, you obviosuly have no brain, did not finish highschool, and have no moral fibre in your body on what it is to be a human being. You disgust me.
I am sure if this happened at a United match that fan would not get the same treatment. United has more respect for its supportes at home and abroad. Unfortunately Liverpool are tasteless and do not have the class that United has.
To the guy who got kicked out, dont worry your supporting a club of class, respect and most of all, worthy chapmions.
Think you’re going over the top, Dean. PL football has become an international phenomenon, and that means different cultures handle situations differently from how they would be in England or the West. As a law firm employee, you should also know that asian countries have different laws and different thresholds for actionable offenses. Malaysia, while not a muslim nation, is majority malay and muslim and they do things THEIR way. Best to leave your cultural baggage at home, including your spite for Liverpool.
If this is the standard of argument you typically present, I have do ask, what do you do at your law firm? Make the tea?
I once commented as “not azec friend” previously. What Liverpool did was not entirely civilized but no matter what you said it was the adolescent who irked the commotion. I used to be a Manchester United supporter and actually still internally in my heart is, but my sort of Manchester United kind of ended in once Beckham left. The 90′s team, although young, were matured. (If you don’t remember the Dwight Yorke Bosnich Jordan hiccups.) We no longer make our own players (Darren Fletcher is well Scottish and Darron Gibson is Irish). These days, we have a real Liverpudian (ie. Wayne Rooney) who we all know doesn’t have much of a brain by making ridiculous comments. The fans of my club I love now think they are the best team in the world and we have every right to insult other clubs. Well, sure after all we won the most EPL(or BPL i don’t know, back in my days we even called it division one) titles, but it’s really more for the safety aspects than anything. People just do not know how radical the Ultras in other parts of Europe are, they’d happily kill you and the police is gonna be siding them. So my dear Malaysian friends, please try to behave if one day by chance you are watching your favourite footie team playing in another country. Fair Play please
PS: Dean Winchester you can’t file a law suit on the grounds of that. Stop making yourself look like a wanker.
My kind of Arsenal ended when players like Adams, Parlour, Keown, Winterburn, The Arsenal Ashley Cole, Vieira, and Henry left. Now, we’re left with kids and unfortunately, some of the new Arsenal fans think that this side is one of the best in the world. Granted that Arsenal didn’t always pretty football, but we had a lot of grit and character. The reason that Arsenal won those 7 trophies when Patrick Vieira was a player was because of the strong leaders we had. We had mature, grown men who knew what it took to win games over a long Premier League season. But now Arsene has stopped looking for those older, more mature players. He’s gone with cheap kids who’ve failed to deliver in their time at the club. IDK what’s gonna happen?
poor dan if you are British you shd be proud of having England’s clubs to be that well popular worldwide, even in Malay. Don’t you guys always claim EPL is the best in the world? If EPL’s clubs failed to collect fans all over the world, what was the meaning of world’s best? i am a MU fan for the past 20 years in far east asia, and i almost watched every MU’s game on live in our time even after midnight, although i am not British, so what?
To me, it was just like a comedy show, it just reminds me those so-called BRAVED MU’s fans went hanging a slogan at Anfield. People were just making fun there, deeply i believe the MU’s fan was just trying to show off in front of the KOP, I don’t see any real dangerous to his life there and i don’t see the real anger on the KOPs’ faces, it was just a joke, and everybody was just playing fool around there.
p.s. dan, do u know that both MU and Liverpool are mainly owned by Americans? and do u know that MU is planing to be listed in Hong Kong? if you want, you can have the same right to join me to be the shareholder of MU, and no i m not British nor Malays…
At last….a sensible article. And we actually have people who were at the scene. This was at training, so Dean Winchester, he did not pay for his ticket. Training passes are for free. Not Azec Friend, thank you. Another clown did the same thing on the actual game day but this time we knew he was doing it for cheap publicity. Today ManUre did it at Chelsea training again but the Chelsea fans were not as magnanimous as us. ManUrists are fooling everyone when they say they won’t do that; of course they will…as if they are saints. After all, didn’t their manager throw a hairdrier at a player and viciously went for a respectable journalist who asked a perfectly legitimate question about Giggs?
Some comments made here are correct. This fiasco, and the shenanigans by this spoilt brat has really threatened to mar the wonderful experience I had since June 14th. I hate him for it and will never forgive him.
have do ask, what do you do at your law firm? o yeah
the kid got out alive and hopefully he and others watching learnt his lesson.
this incident will save lives in the near future,…. unless Rooney sends him 2 flights and game tickets to Old Trafford as a reward. then it might go viral….
seriously hope he doesn’t. but there’s a high possibility he would. (Rooney isn’t someone you associate with intelligence). If that is so, I’m going to any champions league match between my team and some team with a psycho ultras, go to their stands, wear the man utd jersey and shout that their team sucks. rooney better give me an old trafford season pass for that.
y this idiot keep on comparing local fans with western fans and after all this is not a match of liv vs man u,where livr fans dont mind when there r man u fans at the stadium.this is 100% livrpl training session.y this guy want to wear a rival shirt and run his mouth.if u all think he is too young and innocent,y the people who took him to the stadium never warn him.so definitly its his foult.
Look Liverpool is a washed up club from a city that is into its 3rd century of decline. Their fans behave accordingly.
Soccer Sissies!
What else to you expect from people who go to a game to watch a bunch cry babies play Soccer/Football…
Just look at the malaysian people who cares they look so trashy and it looks like everyone needs to take a shower there. Its disgusting they should root for the home teams in there country and leave football to the real world. Disgusting!