LFC Global Family: Indonesia

One such fan is Deeka, the man who helped set up BIGREDS, one of the biggest official LFC Supporters' Clubs in the world... 

Name: Andhika Sarwendha Suksmana (Deeka)
Age: 33
City / country: Jakarta, Indonesia
Job: Director at The Footballicious Sports Marketing

Why did you pick Liverpool as your team?

It's my destiny. I started watching football when I was about five or six years old. My uncle and my grandfather started to give me a lot of knowledge about who the best teams and the best players were. 

What's your earliest LFC memory?

The European Cup final in 1985 - not a good memory to recall. After that final, I became really familiar with word 'Liverpool'.

Who was your first LFC hero an why?

Can I pick two? John Aldridge and John Barnes. I started to make a scrapbook with newspaper and magazine clippings in 1987 and I love both of those players because for me they were purely amazing football players. Aldo was a real finisher and Barnes was a magician. I can remember being amazed by the way he kept the ball at his feet.

What is your favourite LFC memory?

There are a few good moments for me but I think the era of Spice Boys really gave me good times because at that time I was still at high school and every day the banter with my friends was really getting intense!

Who has been your favourite Liverpool manager and why?

For me personally, it's Rafael Benitez. At one time, he almost got us back to being an elite team.

What has been your lowest point supporting Liverpool?

During the Hicks and Gillett era - we simply never knew what would happen to our future.

When did you visit Anfield for the first time and how would you describe the experience?

It was 2006 and we beat Manchester City 1-0. Steven Gerrard scored. I was sat in the Main Stand and I was so emotional. Having supported the team since I was five or six, I think I was actually speechless when I stepped inside Anfield for that very first time.

What's been your favourite memory at Anfield?

September 16, 2010. We were playing Steaua Bucharest and we won 4-1. I was sat in the Main Stand again but this time I was there with my wife and my daughter for the first time. When you have a dream and then you achieve it, you get a mixed feeling inside your heart - pride, happiness and pure emotion.

Where were you while we were in Istanbul?

I was with BIGREDS, the official Liverpool FC Supporters' Club in Indonesia. We watched together with AC Milan fans in one of the pubs in Kemang, Jakarta. It was a special moment.

How big is the Liverpool fan base in Indonesia?

We have massive fan base here in Indonesia. Ever since I helped develop BIGREDS in 1999, I've always been surprised at how big the fan base is.

You set up BIGREDS  - can you tell us how that happened and how big the supporters club is now?

BIGREDS started in 1999. We never thought about the numbers of members we may attract because at that time we just wanted to be a mediator between the club and fans.  Our only source of Liverpool news back then was the internet and at that time web access in Indonesia was still very limited. Good times and bad times always come but we always try to find a solution.

What's been your proudest moment with BIGREDS?

2002 to 2004 was not a good moment for BIGREDS, - everything was just not on the right track but we sat down together and built a very strong team inside our organisation. I'm proud of that. We started 2005 in a much better place - with a good present from Istanbul as well!  BIGREDS is always improving and becoming more creative. We're bigger and wiser today.

Which team are considered Liverpool's biggest rivals in your country?

Manchester United. 

Where do you go online to follow news about LFC?

I use Twitter nowadays as my prime source of news about LFC but I always enjoy watching LFC TV Online as it has many unique features - especially news about the young players and their matches in the U21 league.

Do you also support a local team?

I enjoy watching the Indonesia League and I'm a diehard fan of the Indonesia national team. BIGREDS always arranges a special section and showed our support with a banner 'Garuda, You'll Never Walk Alone'.

Who is your favourite current player and why?

Captain Fantastic, Steven Gerrard - a true leader with a great career.

If you could meet anyone connected to Liverpool FC - past or present - who would it be and why?

I'm very lucky that I have met Aldo (I had a chat with him in the Carlsberg Lounge) and Barnes (I became liaison officer for him for about a week in Jakarta when he was appointed to become a technical consultant for the Indonesia junior team). So now it would be Steven Gerrard because he's the main engine for LFC.

What makes you most proud to be a Liverpool supporter?

No matter whether the team is in a good or bad condition, we still stick together. That should be a lesson of life as well.

Finally, what does 'the Liverpool way' mean to you?

It's like special notes, a family code just like YNWA. Sometimes we can't explain what the meaning is but we all know as Liverpool fans, we always have to support.

Click here to follow the official Liverpool FC Indonesian Twitter account, @OfficialLFC_ID>>

Check out earlier interviews from our Global LFC Family series:

South Africa - Melissa Reddy>>
Thailand - Jeerawan Duangnam Herriot>>
Australia - Wayne Psaila>>
Mexico - Victor Alvarado>>