[Archived] Preview (Not) Asia Trophy

[DP]

Right, assuming I can get a ticket for the Saturday game then I'm going.

Be great to meet up with Rovers fans abroard again. Not since Leverkeusen in 2007.

[ABBEY]

That might be the situation in Korea, but it certainly isn't the case in China. My Chinese ex-girlfriend's mother could name four footballers: Beckham, Kaka, Rooney and Park. Park was the second one she mentioned, behind Beckham. The Chinese, especially taxi drivers, love football but are quite despondent about their nation's own prospects due to rife corruption in the Chinese national league and an interesting and oft-repeated suggestion that Chinese people simply don't have the necessary physical attributes and strengths to play football. People like Park and Honda are known by all football lovers in China and attract a lot of attention. Like in England, football fans in China tend to be rougher than the average Joe and rather than a simple national footballing rivalry, like England's with France, Germany or Scotland, the Chinese viscerally despise the Japanese and South Korean teams and use games against either as another excuse to demonstrate their fervent and unnerving nationalism. However, when following football leagues abroad, they look out for and are more inclined to support those teams with Asian players out of some weird form of Oriental pride that people built much like they are can do well in leagues dominated by white and black people. I remember a large number of Charlton followers a few years ago when some Chinese guy whose name I can't remember moved there. Buying a successful Chinese player would have huge amounts of marketing value. This can be shown by the example of the second major sport in China: basketball; and the national adoration of the Houston Rockets simply because Yao Ming plays for them. If you go to any basketball court in China, you'll see 15 or so Chinese youth, half of whom will be wearing Houston Rockets vests. Granted most of these vests will be fake, but a fair number of which will be official merchandise. The growing middle class in China is now estimated to be around 1/4 billion people. That's a fair potential of shirt sales.

In saying this, I'm not advocating that Rovers try to buy a Chinese player. As I said before, the player would have to be pretty sick to have this effect and right now the entire national team is about English League 2 standard.

what's with the peodo user name?

[clw_88]

Hello to all Rovers Fans coming to Hong Kong.

My family moved here over 20 years ago and huge Rovers Fans (went back to the UK just to watch the Liverpool game in the Championship season). We even has season tickets when we were in the 3rd divison when we were living in Blackburn all those years ago.

If anyone is coming to the games in Hong Kong and wants to be looked afer and pointed in all the right dirctions please drop me a line and will arrange a place to meet up and will take everyone to the stadium.

[email protected]

[chaddyrovers]

All games are on Skysports for anybody who is going to want to watch

[RoversSG]

That might be the situation in Korea, but it certainly isn't the case in China. My Chinese ex-girlfriend's mother could name four footballers: Beckham, Kaka, Rooney and Park. Park was the second one she mentioned, behind Beckham. The Chinese, especially taxi drivers, love football but are quite despondent about their nation's own prospects due to rife corruption in the Chinese national league and an interesting and oft-repeated suggestion that Chinese people simply don't have the necessary physical attributes and strengths to play football. People like Park and Honda are known by all football lovers in China and attract a lot of attention. Like in England, football fans in China tend to be rougher than the average Joe and rather than a simple national footballing rivalry, like England's with France, Germany or Scotland, the Chinese viscerally despise the Japanese and South Korean teams and use games against either as another excuse to demonstrate their fervent and unnerving nationalism. However, when following football leagues abroad, they look out for and are more inclined to support those teams with Asian players out of some weird form of Oriental pride that people built much like they are can do well in leagues dominated by white and black people. I remember a large number of Charlton followers a few years ago when some Chinese guy whose name I can't remember moved there. Buying a successful Chinese player would have huge amounts of marketing value. This can be shown by the example of the second major sport in China: basketball; and the national adoration of the Houston Rockets simply because Yao Ming plays for them. If you go to any basketball court in China, you'll see 15 or so Chinese youth, half of whom will be wearing Houston Rockets vests. Granted most of these vests will be fake, but a fair number of which will be official merchandise. The growing middle class in China is now estimated to be around 1/4 billion people. That's a fair potential of shirt sales.

In saying this, I'm not advocating that Rovers try to buy a Chinese player. As I said before, the player would have to be pretty sick to have this effect and right now the entire national team is about English League 2 standard.

I'm Chinese too (in race) but in Singapore, generally we don't support a team based on whether the team has an Asian/Chinese/Malay/Indian in it or not. It's more of "big club" mentality here. I would say 99% of football fans here support either Manure, Arse, Chelski or Pool.

So signing a player based on his nationality or race might not be the commercial sure-win thing that a lot of people think it is.

Anyway, gutted that i can't make it to Hong Kong, the 2500km difference is probably the nearest i'll ever get to the team!

[Billy Castell]

Wanchai. That's all I need to say. Will write something next week.

AKA Old Kent Road on the HK version of Monopoly. I'd love to go and see how it has changed from when I lived there.

[MWGR2]

I'm going to buy tickets soon. Anyone know in which section quite a few rovers fans will be. I've noticed that the second most expensive option is now full up. I'm thinking the expensive ones, but they seem very low to the pitch, or the sides. Would be nice to know some seats of fellow rovers fans flying over

[roversmum]

We're hoping to go, but as Mr Roversmum is disabled need to be careful with accommodation. Waiting to hear back from the travel company on Monday, then it's all systems go

[Iceman]

We're hoping to go, but as Mr Roversmum is disabled need to be careful with accommodation. Waiting to hear back from the travel company on Monday, then it's all systems go

nice. wish I can just get to Elwood. lol

[howzat]

What time are the games on telly on over here

[roversmum]

nice. wish I can just get to Elwood. lol

Well we aren't getting any younger and there will be a raid on savings. Haven't had a holiday for years, missed the last one through illness.

Hope you can get over one day to Ewood too, Isgak, that would be cool.

[chaddyrovers]

What time are the games on telly on over here

On wednesday

Rovers game kick off at 11am against Aston Villa

Cheslea game against kitchee kick off at 2pm

Saturday

Third place playoff kick off at 11am

Final kick off at 2pm

Hope this help you?

[Alan75]

What time are the games on telly on over here

Official site has us kicking off at 6pm against Villa on the 27th

[cn174]

Official site has us kicking off at 6pm against Villa on the 27th

That's local time Alan.

If it was 6pm here , then we'd be watching the games at 1am in the morning in HK!

[chaddyrovers]

Official site has us kicking off at 6pm against Villa on the 27th

that is the time in Hong Kong! Hong Kong is 7 hours in front of us. hope this clear this up!

[Alan75]

that is the time in Hong Kong! Hong Kong is 7 hours in front of us. hope this clear this up!

thanks

[ABBEY]

Breakfast in a Corfu bar ..Mrs abs is gonna be well chuffed lol

[roversmum]

Wooooo travel and tickets sorted. Would be great to meet with others going.

[OhmiBRFC]

I think we will have quite a few there!

[london-rover]

Wooooo travel and tickets sorted. Would be great to meet with others going.

Did you book through the tour company on rovers site roversmum?

[Roost]

Hello to all Rovers Fans coming to Hong Kong.

My family moved here over 20 years ago and huge Rovers Fans (went back to the UK just to watch the Liverpool game in the Championship season). We even has season tickets when we were in the 3rd divison when we were living in Blackburn all those years ago.

If anyone is coming to the games in Hong Kong and wants to be looked afer and pointed in all the right dirctions please drop me a line and will arrange a place to meet up and will take everyone to the stadium.

[email protected]

Very kind of you - I am tempted to grab a last minute flight and come over. Last time I was there I stayed just off nathan road and then then off into darkest China for a week. I know China has changed since then - I wonder what HK is like now compared to whenit was a british colony??

Keep the blue flag flying high!

[roversmum]

Did you book through the tour company on rovers site roversmum?

Yes. They told us that flights were selling out fast - had to change ours from the original one,meaning that we would arrive there earlier; then tried to get us on a plane to come back at 12.25am without working out that there was no chance we'd get to the airport from the last game to catch that flight...

So we got an extra night and a plane for the next day

Can't wait!

[Ste B]

Yes. They told us that flights were selling out fast - had to change ours from the original one,meaning that we would arrive there earlier; then tried to get us on a plane to come back at 12.25am without working out that there was no chance we'd get to the airport from the last game to catch that flight...

So we got an extra night and a plane for the next day

Can't wait!

QATAR ?? If so, its same return flight as us, but i believe they've been changed back on the return flight.

I think they've blocked booked flight, as you wont get much better directly on opodo - the Cosmo deal was 995 going 25th - 2nd.

Try to stay on HK island if possible, but dont worry if you end up in Kowloon or Mongkok as taxis and the MTR is cheap. VERY happy with our hotel located in Wanchai mind.

Wonderful place, loads to do, been twice already, and still not nearly done half of it. Great Nightlife, last time I went was for this New Years Eve - was quietish, but I think many had deserted for the holiday period to see family etc etc.

[roversmum]

We're on outward 21.00 from Manchester 24th, stop over in Dubai; return 07.55 31st July, again stop over in Dubai. Emirates. Cosmo Hotel. Checked online as you say, but the deal was fair so went for that. No idea what to expect but other friends who have been before can't rate Hong Kong highly enough. Will knock me out of my comfort zone that's for sure!!!

[OhmiBRFC]

QATAR ?? If so, its same return flight as us, but i believe they've been changed back on the return flight.

I think they've blocked booked flight, as you wont get much better directly on opodo - the Cosmo deal was 995 going 25th - 2nd.

Try to stay on HK island if possible, but dont worry if you end up in Kowloon or Mongkok as taxis and the MTR is cheap. VERY happy with our hotel located in Wanchai mind.

Wonderful place, loads to do, been twice already, and still not nearly done half of it. Great Nightlife, last time I went was for this New Years Eve - was quietish, but I think many had deserted for the holiday period to see family etc etc.

That's the route we are using. Although we fly the day earlier which I am relieved about. I'd be in the bad books for a long time if we were on same flight as our mates.