Jurgen Klopp, the manager of Liverpool, struggled not to draw a connection while attempting to soak up the traditionally jubilant Thai greeting.
Was it like this when Manchester United arrived yesterday? he questioned.
The welcome England’s top clubs receive when they travel to the Far East is special in some way.
Some people waited for Liverpool for longer than six hours. Numerous people were awaiting outside the Bangkok Airport two hours before their aircraft was scheduled to land.
Liverpool arrived in Thailand on Sunday, one day after Manchester United, another Premier League competitor. The two teams square off on Tuesday before heading to Australia for for preseason games.
There were well over a thousand supporters there as Klopp and his players were prepared to depart the airport and be transported into the city.
Given that it took only approximately three steps to go from the VIP room exit to the team bus, those who were 50 yards away are unlikely to have even caught a glimpse of their idols.
Others saw Liverpool leave while standing in the center of the crowd and cheering on the remaining fans.
Prior to that, Klopp had led his team in the customary welcoming ritual to honor their Thai hosts.
If that was tidy, the scenario quickly descended into chaos when a press conference table was put up, with chairs for Klopp, vice-captain James Milner, and captain Jordan Henderson.
Officials made unsuccessful attempts to create room for questions to be answered in an organized manner but ignored the barrier that was intended to be for reporters to remain behind. When Klopp prompted for the Manchester United parallel, they had no chance.
He stated when he was given a ball, “I have never been to a news conference like this.
“I appreciate your kind greeting. I’ve only been to Thailand twice; the first time was an hour ago while traveling to Sydney. I’m hoping this time I’ll have some time to spend in the city.”
While Klopp said there is no such thing as a friendly between Liverpool and United, Milner talked about the “energy” of the crowd.
Tuesday should have a boisterous atmosphere at the Rajamangala Stadium if today’s events give any indication.
