Liverpool leaves Thai Kop in a puddle of emotions

Much of the chatter focused on what makes this “the beautiful game”, but there was plenty of discussion as well about the bad and the ugly sides of the sport. Here’s a synopsis:

ROMANCE: One man went to Rajamangala Stadium not to watch Liverpool but to propose to his girlfriend. He sneaked in a bouquet of roses, and when he popped the question, the whole crowd seated around them stood and cheered. Loud applause followed as he was urged to give his future bride a kiss – which he happily did. The entire episode went viral on video.

 

ECSTASY: Captain Steven Gerrard is always a hero with “the Kop” and here’s why. A mob of fans was waiting outside the team’s hotel on Saturday night in the faint hope of catching a glimpse when Gerrard suddenly showed up to sign autographs. The display of generosity made the TV news the next day. The guy’s a treat.

 

BLINDNESS: Fans watching at home endured a lot of weird camera angles on Channel 3, shifting to awful when the action moved in front of the goal line. At this point the director decided he’d rather check to see what the coaches and the players on the bench were doing. News host Kitti Singhapat responded on Twitter to viewers’ complaints, explaining that the live broadcast originated with Sport Master, not Channel 3. 

 

HATRED: It was almost a perfect visit, but badly tainted by a group of idiot Liverpool supporters in the stands holding up a banner assailing arch rival Manchester United. It read “Alex Ferguson out working go to the Hell (Munich, 58)”. It was not only poor English, it was a nasty reference to the 1958 plane crash that took the lives of many Man U players. 

Fortunately the majority of Liverpool fans aren’t so thoughtless and cruel. “You disgrace the club,” one of them tweeted afterward. “The proper Liverpool fans out there must hate them,” said another. “They are NOT LFC fans,” averred a third. “No real LFC fans would do such a shameful thing.” Over on 101Goal.com, “Teerakarnana” sent the word out on behalf of fellow Thai fans: “We’d like to apologise to all Liverpool and Man Utd fans. So sorry about this.” “The action of a few ignorant ‘fans’ now smearing and disgracing the real Thai Liverpool supporters deservedly require reprimanding,” added “Sirichai”. “We, the majority of us, are ashamed.” 

Celebrity TV news host Sorrayuth Suthassanajinda, a die-hard Liverpool supporter, went to Instagram. “I’d like to apologise to Manchester United and all their fans for some improper behaviour at Rajamangala Stadium today which shows disrespect to Sir Alex Ferguson and victims of 1958 plane crash in Munich. No one, not any team’s fans, should do this. I strongly believe that all Liverpool fans regret about this.”