Latest news with #MarselinoFerdinan
BBC News
14-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Surreal' trip is a sign of U's progress
I used the word "surreal" a lot while watching Oxford United in Indonesia. The club's quest to become an established Championship club needs success on the field, but that does not just happen without progress off the field cannot be anyone connected with the club that doesn't understand that the biggest fixture of the summer will be played out in the Cherwell District Council committee meeting at the end of the month, when they will get planning permission - or not – for a new stadium. That would help them generate significantly more revenue than at the Kassam – but still more will be needed for United to may surprise you to learn that the biggest attendance Oxford will play before in 2025 will almost certainly be the 40,000+ plus who watched the U's opening match in the Piala Presiden – the President's Cup – in Jakarta's national stadium last week. The enthusiasm for Gary's Rowett's side, even when up against an Indonesia All Stars team was very evident. United having Indonesian ownership helped, and was of course part of the reason Oxford were there in the first place. What was even more crucial was the presence in the United line-up of two of the biggest names in Indonesian football – naturalised Dutch forward Ole Romeny and young star Marselino knows his role. Still to command a regular berth in the Oxford side despite being a record signing in January, he patiently dealt with countless interviews, photo requests, meet and greets, and he was even a keepy-uppy king at one event in a place that LOVES ball juggling. When he scored the second U's goal in the second game it felt like he had, if not the world, then one of its most populous countries at his feet. Sadly, it was only moments later that a crunching challenge ended his tournament and will make him a major doubt for the start of the season and for Indonesia's World Cup then United had moved on from the cosmopolitan metropolis of Jakarta on the 'Whoosh' bullet train. It took half an hour to travel 100 miles and into the authentically Asian city of Bandung. But there was less for the players to do, they required security escorts to and from training – mainly just to clear a way through traffic which made the Oxford ring road in rush hour seem quiet. Backpackers would love it. Any westerners are a curiosity and garner much attention. Professional footballers already have plenty of two of Jerome Sale's tour recap will be published on Tuesday.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Romeny & Ferdinan in race to be fit for final
Oxford United duo Ole Romeny and Marselino Ferdinan face a race to be fit for the pre-season President's Cup final in Indonesia. The U's reached the final of the tournament after a 4-0 victory over Indonesian side Arema FC on Thursday. Advertisement But Oxford's Indonesian stars will both need to prove their fitness for the final, with Ferdinan carrying a hamstring issue and Romeny, who scored in the win, stretchered off with an ankle injury. "We had already lost players to injury and illness," U's boss Gary Rowett told BBC Radio Oxford "For Ole, it looked like potentially quite a bad one but we'll see if he's available for the final." Romeny, in particular, has impressed during the event, scoring several goals in front of large crowds at the tournament in his home country. Oxford will play Thai side Port FC in Sunday's final.
BBC News
11-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Romeny & Ferdinan in race to be fit for final
Oxford United duo Ole Romeny and Marselino Ferdinan face a race to be fit for the pre-season President's Cup final in U's reached the final of the tournament after a 4-0 victory over Indonesian side Arema FC on Oxford's Indonesian stars will both need to prove their fitness for the final, with Ferdinan carrying a hamstring issue and Romeny, who scored in the win, stretchered off with an ankle injury."We had already lost players to injury and illness," U's boss Gary Rowett told BBC Radio Oxford"For Ole, it looked like potentially quite a bad one but we'll see if he's available for the final."Romeny, in particular, has impressed during the event, scoring several goals in front of large crowds at the tournament in his home will play Thai side Port FC in Sunday's final.
BBC News
07-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Oxford's nine-goal thriller in front of 40,000 fans
"I was at Wembley last year, I was at Northwich Victoria in the Conference, but this is something else," one supporter told us after Oxford United had beaten the Indonesian All-Stars 6-3. Those fans and staff who remember the dark days of 15 years ago were struggling to take in what was admittedly a surreal scene. More than 40,000 fans cheered as loudly for Oxford United's Indonesia internationals Ole Romeny and Marselino Ferdinan as their own All-Stars All-Stars were selected by public vote for the game - representing the U's was owner Erick Thohir who helped plunge a Britain's Got Talent type red buzzer before kick-off to launch the President's took control of group A, netting six times in a nine-goal and Ferdinan entertained, with the former even demonstrating keepy uppies in open play to thrill the crowd if not one or two of his United goals came from Mark Harris (2), Michal Helik, Tom Bradshaw, Przemyslaw Placheta and record signing Brian De Keersmaecker, who in his first Oxford appearance curled in a left-footed shot from 25 yards after shaking off defenders with a from Dutch club Heracles a week ago, the 25-year-old Belgian said: "It's great to score a goal, especially on my debut."Normally I am used to playing preparation games in front of 500 people, this was an incredible atmosphere."Oxford have now travelled on the 225mph "Whoosh" bullet train from the Indonesia capital to Bandung, 100 miles south where there will play club side Arema FC on Thursday and where they will be firm favourites to progress to Sunday's final.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Gary Rowett on U's adjusting to humidity ahead of first game
OXFORD United are adjusting to life in Indonesia as the club prepares for its first pre-season game in the country later today. The U's arrived in Jakarta on Thursday, and kick-off their President's Cup campaign against a Liga Indonesia All-Star side at 19:30 WIB (13:30 BST). Indonesia internationals Marselino Ferdinan and Ole Romeny have stolen most of the limelight so far, with their presence attracting both the media and excited fans. Humidity, humility and a fantastic football arena: Day one in Indonesia United head coach Gary Rowett said: 'It's not your usual pre-season trip, is it? From getting off the plane, seeing the excitement certainly for Ole and Marselino, and also seeing the passion for football in Indonesia has been really eye-opening and quite enlightening. 'I think the players and staff so far have really enjoyed it. It brings different challenges, of course, the heat and humidity, and getting used to that. 'We're so early in pre-season, but it's what we're here to do. It's been good so far.' CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE OXFORD MAIL ONLINE (Image: Newsquest) Rowett added: 'We'd normally be training twice a day. We've struggled to do that with the heat. It's once a day and the other session has got to be a gym-based session in the air conditioning. 'To play the game so early in pre-season, where you're normally playing against a non-league side and you can make as many changes as you want, and rumour has it, we could be playing in front of 70,000 fans in a humid stadium. It's going to be a real challenge. 'Part of me as a manager, you've got to distinguish between wanting to win anything you enter, but at the same time, we also need to get the players through it safely and we need to get the conditioning right. We don't want to put people at risk. 'It's a really difficult balance, but an interesting one nonetheless. 'It's going to be a challenge firstly with the weather for the players. A lot of the other teams will be a lot more used to it. 'Normally we'd be out in Spain or Portugal. That would be your bog-standard pre-season. There aren't many times you get the opportunity to come to Indonesia for two weeks. 'It's probably not our ideal preparation football-wise, but in terms of a new culture, a new football culture as well, it's going to be a really interesting trip. 'I probably felt a little bit of trepidation, but I think everyone's really embraced it so far and really enjoyed it.'
