19Nov

Sabah wins heart of Liverpool football legend Luis Garcia

THE beauty of Sabah has captured yet another heart, and this time, it is of Liverpool football legend, Luis Garcia. Garcia, who was part of Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League winning squad, is in Kota Kinabalu ahead of the Masters Football Asia’s ‘The Battle of Reds’ (BOTR) match on Nov 20 against arch rivals Manchester United. Garcia was so mesmerised by Sabah that he waxed lyrical about it in an Instagram post, and uploaded a picture of himself visiting a local market in the state capital. "Saya memiliki minggu yang baik !! One of the best things of these trips are the beautiful places I found. Kota Kinabalu in the state of Sabah (Malaysia) with delicious food, beautiful markets and one of the best Sunsets I've ever seen. Have a great week guys !! #Morethanagame #OnTheMove #Malaysia,” read his post, which has garnered 4,900 likes and 118 comments. Best known for his “ghost goal” during the 2004/2005 Champions League semi-final match against Chelsea, the Spaniard is head over heels in love with Sabah’s scenery, food, markets and even sunsets. Coincidentally, Liverpool fans once dedicated a song to Garcia which includes the word “sunset” in its lyrics – a nod to his love for nature. Garcia’s local Instagram followers warmly welcomed him to Sabah, with many urging him to visit other states in Malaysia, including Penang, Kelantan, Perak, Sarawak and Negri Sembilan. One Instagram user even praised Garcia for using Bahasa Melayu in his post. Garcia’s praise for Sabah is undoubtedly a boost for local tourism, and comes at just the right time, with Visit Malaysia 2020 just weeks away. Meanwhile, for the BOTR, Garcia is expected to team up with other Liverpool legends including David James, Jason McAteer, John Arne Riise and Danny Murphy. Players representing Manchester United are likely to be Ronny Johnson, Mikael Silvestre, Wes Brown, Clayton Blackmore, Keith Gillespie, Teddy Sheringham and Dwight Yorke, among others. The legends match is jointly organised with Firm Horizon Sdn Bhd and will be held at the Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu. Source: New Straits Times
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19Sep

Football greats from Man Utd, Liverpool to descend on Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: Come November, the city will be a sea of red as football legends from England’s Manchester United and Liverpool clubs gather for the first time ever in Sabah for a host of events including charity matches and an exhibition game. “The Battle of the Reds” will see 16 players from each side taking the other on at the Likas Stadium here on Nov 20. They include former Liverpool players Jason McAteer, Steve McManaman, Emile Heskey and John Arne Riise, who will play under the Liverpool Reds. Appearing for the Manchester Reds will be Ronny Johnsen, Teddy Sheringham, Mikael Silvestre and Keith Gillispie. The match is expected to be the highlight of their five-day stay in the state capital. Deputy Chief Minister Christina Liew, who admitted she is not a football fan, said she was initially in the dark when the organisers pitched the event to her. “I asked them, ‘Are they famous?’ They looked at me, stumped, and explained who they were. “I was immediately excited to know about the event, which is what I have always wanted to do – sports tourism,” Liew, who is also the state tourism, culture and environment minister, said when announcing the event here yesterday. “Sports tourism in Sabah has not been fully explored yet, so the potential is definitely great.” She was accompanied by Johnson and Riise, the former of whom is in Sabah for the second time. Riise, meanwhile, is visiting Sabah for the first time. Johnson said he was lucky to be back in Sabah. “It’s nice to be here and give something back to the fans here. I’m really looking forward to bringing my team here,” he added. Riise, meanwhile, said he was happy to be in Kota Kinabalu. “I was so tired when I arrived, and I forgot about how good the fans are here. (Then) the doors opened and I saw so many fans, and it put a smile on my face,” he said. Source: Free Malaysia Today
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