Standard Chartered want Liverpool FC to sign Asian players

by Richard Buxton. Published Thu 31 Mar 2011 19:15, Last updated: 2011-03-31

Standard Chartered have revealed that they want Liverpool to sign Asian players to enhance their profile.

Last year the global banking giant agreed a deal worth £80million with the Reds over four years to replaced long-standing shirt sponsor Carlsberg.

And Gavin Laws, the bank's head of corporate affairs, insisted that recruiting players from Asia - where Standard Chartered conducts most of its business - would vastly increase Liverpool's profile and cited Manchester United's Park Ji-Sung as a prime example.

"The real power for what Liverpool could do for us, and I think for the English Premier League, is if there was a way they could nurture foreign players from Asia ... a great Asian player — you see what Park Ji-sung does for Manchester United," Laws told the Associated Press.

"The markets in Asia and the Middle East are so nationalistic, they are very proud about their countries. [Matches] become huge events. One appearance from a player, say from Dubai in the Premier League, and you'd have the whole of Dubai watching it."

He added: "If Liverpool were winning the league and were keeping at the top of everybody's minds then it's fantastic for a sponsor.

"But I would have thought that Liverpool have had more exposure around the world this season than anybody else ... without the turmoil at the club there wouldn't have been [the publicity[.

"They are a mid-table team, who have an outside chance of getting into the Europa League again."

Although managing director Ian Ayre remains noncommital on extending Kenny Dalglish's stay as manager beyond the end of the season Laws, speaking at the SoccerEx conference, admitted that he would welcome the Scot's long-term presence in the Anfield dugout.

He said: "I'd like to see Kenny as the long term manager — I'm sure the club would. They are going to be talking to him if they aren't talking to him already.

"The Kenny magic is all around the world, everybody believes Kenny can take the club [forward] and that means they stay focused and that means they stay in the newspapers around the world...we are looking for brand awareness."

Meanwhile Liverpool could welcome back Steven Gerrard for Saturday's trip to West Brom after he made considerable progress in his recovery from successful groin surgery earlier this month.

The club's talismanic captain has been sidelined since suffering recurrences of the problem in recent months but may return to action ahead of schedule in the visit to the Hawthorns, where former Kop boss Roy Hodgson will face his former club for the first time.

"He's recovered really well from the surgery that he got so we'll see how he is before we decide whether he's going to be in or out," admitted Dalglish.

"But certainly he's done a lot of training this week, not all of the training that the lads have done but most of it, so we'll wait and see.

"Two weekends ago at Sunderland wee Jay [Spearing] played really well so there's no need for us to be in a rush to put Steven back."

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Comments about Standard Chartered want Liverpool FC to sign Asian players

I agree with standard chartered,For exposure we need honda then help us get him!!!!! YNWA
gianni khan, slough around 1 year, 1 month ago
who runs this club the sponsor or FSG
daboy, oz around 1 year, 1 month ago
A mid table team, just shows wat idiots they are best get rid of them 2, as for asain players, no tanx,teyre not dat gud,shove tem up ur ass
John, Dublin around 1 year, 1 month ago
Im sure that there's no part of our contract with Standard Chartered that states they have any influence over the players we bring in!Jokers
Stevie p, Liverpool around 1 year, 1 month ago
i hope you go bust and get relegated :)
stephen, the blue side of mersyside around 1 year, 1 month ago
It would be a win-win for the sponsors and the team to sign Honda. He will bring publicity and talent
travis, brier around 1 year, 1 month ago
the king is the only man that should be making those kind of decisions with the assistance of comolli
kieran, dublin around 1 year, 1 month ago
what a cheek...mid table team? i dont think so
shayne, liverpool around 1 year, 1 month ago
So....the sponsor wants to start making team selection suggestions based on commercial market interests? Stick it where the sun don't shine!
Billium, Singapore around 1 year, 1 month ago
And this is a bad season for us, top 4 finishes from next season onwards now kenny, luiz and andy are involved!
Steve, Bootle around 1 year, 1 month ago
"They are a mid-table team, who have an outside chance of getting into the Europa League again." - 5th or 6th makes us mid-table? righhht.
callum, manchester around 1 year, 1 month ago
Definitely, I'd be onboard if it was Honda. He can deliver on the pitch and shirt sales is bonus. Dont no many gd midle eastern players tho?
jake22t, Birmingham around 1 year, 1 month ago
Honda would sell masses of shirts and improve the squad. It's a no-brainer!
MG01, Liverpool around 1 year, 1 month ago
I agree with jake22t, LFC is not about signing players who will promote the sponsor, at the end of the day the club comes first.
Adam Crilly, Gloucester around 1 year, 1 month ago
"They are a mid-table team"? LFC are one of the bigest forces in Europe and will sign players who improve the team not SC brand image!
jake22t, Birmingham around 1 year, 1 month ago


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