Global LFC Family: Taiwan

Today, it's the turn of 26-year-old Roxan from Taiwan. This is her LFC story...

Name: Roxan
Age: 26
City: Taipei, Taiwan
Job: Website Content Editor, Mailman Group

Why did you pick Liverpool as your team?

Unlike plenty of Reds in England, I can't say I supported Liverpool since I was a little child. Due to a lack of coverage in Taiwan, I was only able to start watching football when I saw the 2002 World Cup when I was 14. After that, I started watching the Premier League and I soon became a fan of Liverpool. I probably wasn't as passionate as some fans in the beginning, but things changed in 2005. The 'Miracle of Istanbul' became the turning point in my life. At that time I was going through the worst time in my life, but then I saw how the club turned a 3-0 deficit into a victory. I was stunned by Stevie's leadership and their spirit; they taught me a lesson that I can achieve anything if I stick to my goal and never give up. Afterwards, I pulled myself together and began to work as hard as I could to reach my new goal. As you can see today, I graduated from university with a top score, obtained the certificate of DELE B1 and successfully completed my Master's degree at the University of London. Honestly, if it was not for Liverpool, I wouldn't have been able to achieve all of these things. It seems like the whole team is my mentor, who guides me. Therefore, no matter how they are doing, I will always support them because I have faith in the Reds.

What's your earliest LFC memory?

It was August 2003 - the fourth game of the 2003-04 season between Liverpool and Everton. At that time, we didn't have an internet connection in every family home, so I tried to use my neighbour's computer to watch the game. As we all know, the Merseyside derby is always dramatic and I was impressed and excited.

How did people in Taiwan follow Liverpool's fortunes at first?

Football was not as popular as baseball in Taiwan, so we seldom had live matches on TV but we could still find Liverpool's information, news and even watch the club's online TV channel. There are now loads of British bars with big screens providing live broadcasts on matchdays.     

Who was your first LFC hero and why?

Definitely Steven Gerrard - who I believe has been the best midfielder in the world. After he became the captain of LFC, he showed his leadership in most of the matches. In 2005, he brought the club the European Champions League. I will never forget the moment he scored and I was totally stunned and touched by him. He became the hero in my heart from that moment. He is the leader of the team.

What is your favourite LFC memory?

The 2011-12 Carling Cup final as I was there at Wembley Stadium. That was the first time I got to support the team in a final. To be in a stadium with so many fans - half in blue, half in red - was amazing and although it was a tough game, which lasted for more than 120 minutes, it was just great to see the Reds win the cup. That was really a fantastic and unforgettable experience for me.

Who has been your favourite Liverpool manager and why?

Brendan Rodgers. It's obvious that things have been improving gradually since he joined the club. Although he didn't manage to get us into the top four last season, he has changed the formation to 3-5-2 which helps us overcome teams from lower down the table by using our two best strikers to overwhelm them. I am confident that we will stay in the top four until the end of the season.   

What has been your lowest point supporting Liverpool?

Liverpool have been through some hard times since the 2009-10 season, but I have never stopped supporting them or lost my faith in LFC.

When was the first time you visited Anfield?

It was during the summer in 2009. I was still an undergraduate student and I went to England to take a language course during my summer vacation. I knew, however, the main and only reason I planned this trip was to visit Anfield, the place I'd been dreaming of since 2003. As a die-hard fan of Liverpool, Anfield is like a sacred place to me. The moment I stepped into Anfield, my eyes filled up with tears. It was the feeling of going home.  

Where were you while we were in Istanbul?

I was a senior high school student in 2005. Although I had to go to school the next morning, I stayed up to watch the match in front of the TV. I almost gave up and lost confidence in the first half, but things changed after Gerrard scored the first goal in the second half and then Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso scored two goals within six minutes. Even though the game lasted until the next morning, I still watched until the end of ceremony. This match meant so much to me and has changed my life. I will never forget it.  

Do Liverpool have a passionate fan base where you're from?

Absolutely. I live in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. We founded an LFC Taiwanese fan club two years ago and we also have our own Facebook page. We have members from every corner of Taiwan. Sometimes we hold activities to watch the game together on a matchday and we always write on the fans' forum to express our own opinion or discuss the team with other fans.

Which team are considered Liverpool's biggest rivals in Taiwan?

Manchester United. We always talk about each other as rivals.

Where do you go online to follow news about LFC?

I search out all sources of LFC news but I use the LFC official website most frequently. I also follow the LFC official Facebook account to get the most up-to-date news from LFC. I also follow LFC on Sina Weibo and Weixin as well as a local website called HUPU Sports.

Do you also support a local team?

No, football is not that popular and developed in Taiwan. Actually, the standard of our national team is quite low. Therefore, I prefer watching the English Premier League and La Liga. 

Who is your favourite current player and why?

Steven Gerrard. Just like I mentioned before, Stevie G's spirit of never giving up and his leadership motivated me to support the club and massively influenced my life.

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

Steven Gerrard.

What makes you most proud to be a Liverpool supporter?

As a Liverpool fan, instead of blaming the coach or player when the team is not playing well, we choose to support them faithfully. 

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

Sometimes when I have stopped shouting and screaming for the club or when I have overcome the disappointment of losing a game, I start thinking about what the 'Liverpool way' means to me. After all, deep inside my heart, it is not just a football team. LFC is like my home which will always be there when I'm feeling helpless. LFC is my faith.     

To follow the official Liverpool FC Sina Weibo account, click here.

To follow the official Liverpool FC Tencent account, click here. 

Previous articles in the Global LFC Family series:

South Africa - Melissa Reddy>>
Thailand - Jeerawan Duangnam Herriot>>
Australia - Wayne Psaila>>
Mexico - Victor Alvarado>>
Indonesia - Andhika Sarwendha Suksmana>>
Nepal - Nischal Adhikari>>
Ghana - Aristo Dotse>>
India - Kaushal Goyal>>
Singapore - Henry Hann>>
Bahrain - Mohamed Ashoor>>
Mongolia - Amarsaikhan Orsoo>>
Vietnam - Pham Quynh Le>>
USA - July 4th Special>>
Iran - Mohammad Reza Rahimi>>
South Korea - Yong-Suk Choi>>
Norway - Arild Skjæveland>>
Russia - Ivan Potapov>>
Myanmar - Khin Maung Cho>>
USA - Roy Yates>>
China - Chen Jing>>
Brazil - Bárbara Rubio>>
Kenya - Mitesh Chavda>>
Spain - Luis Gutierrez>>
Venezuela - Jorge De Castro>>
Greece - Efstratios Sakkias>>
Malaysia - Muzili Aznor Musa>>