Football
Mike Whalley 9y

Sterling, Gerrard's Liverpool exits contributed to attendance - promoter

The departures of Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard were to blame for the low attendance at Liverpool's recent friendly in Malaysia, according to a promoter who worked on the match.

Brendan Rodgers' side drew 1-1 against a Malaysia XI last Friday at the Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, in front of an attendance recorded unofficially as 50,000 fans.

That was a drop from the 80,000-strong crowd who watched the Reds play Malaysia at the same stadium in 2011.

Andrew Doh, marketing executive at Kuala Lumpur-based Stream Empire Holdings, said that exits of Sterling and Gerrard were a factor.

Winger Sterling was sold to Manchester City for £49 million on July 14, while Gerrard ended his 17-year Anfield first team career at the end of last season to join Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy.

Doh told The Guardian: "After Steven Gerrard's departure, the attendance certainly dropped as most fans wanted to see him and Sterling as well.

"Based on the feedback we received, last season's performance also contributed. If they can get some big names in, some players who are more prominent, they will become more popular again."

But Syafiq Acan, of the Liverpool fan group All Reds Malaysia, blamed Stream Empire Holdings and their Malaysia-based co-promoter Pro Events for the reduced crowd.

He said: "Liverpool fans are annoyed with the organisers who did not organise the event properly. The fans could not even meet the players."

Acan also criticised the timing of the game, adding: "Malaysia is mostly populated by Muslims and that day was part of the national holiday of Eid Mubarak.

"Friday is also a day of work and people do not finish until five o'clock."

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