Thailand ready for Liverpool friendly

[Admin]

Thailand ready for Liverpool friendly 
Bangkok Post: 18 Jul 2009
WWW.BANGKOKPOST.COM

Reid ready for Reds

But doubts remain over which Liverpool stars will feature
Writer: TOR CHITTINAND
 
Thailand coach Peter Reid is looking forward to the national side's friendly against Liverpool on Wednesday.

The English Premier League club will arrive on Monday and take on the Thai national team at Rajamangala stadium on Wednesday at 8pm.

"It is good for Thailand to play against Liverpool. My team are good enough to beat them or at least score a goal," Reid said.

"Liverpool are a strong team with many talented players. But in football anything can happen."

Liverpool last visited Thailand in 2003 when they defeated the national team 3-1.

"I hope we can score against them again. We are at an advantage because we see Liverpool play on TV on a regular basis but they have never seen us play."

After the Thailand match, Liverpool will play in Singapore on July 26 in their only other game on their Asia tour.

The trip is being organised by Profitable Group of which former Liverpool midfielder Steve McMahon is a director.

Liverpool are training in Switzerland. They drew 0-0 with Swiss side St Gallen in a warm-up on Wednesday.

The Reds will play another friendly with Rapid Vienna in Austria tomorrow before flying to Bangkok.

But it is still unclear if they will come with all their popular stars. Reports claim club captain Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano may miss the Asia tour.

Gerrard will go on trial for affray next week. The case is set to last two weeks so it is likely that he will miss the trip to Asia, according to the English press.

Alonso's heart may already be with Real Madrid, while Argentina captain Mascherano may have to stay home to look after his wife who is expected to give birth to their child soon.

While McMahon insists that "every Liverpool player will come here," he admits that there may be factors that the club cannot control.

"It is about the law," McMahon said of Gerrard's case. "I don't know how long it will take. If everything is done in time then he will surely come to Thailand."

Liverpool have made only one big signing in England right-back Glen Johnson who had a good game against St Gallen on Wednesday.