IF EVERTON FC’S players thought Walton was busy on a match day, they’re in for a shock as they prepare for their debut game in the Java Cup.
The Toffees will face Galatasaray next month in one of the most densely populated cities they’ve ever played in.
Jakarta, where Everton will contest the Java Cup from July 26-29 as part of their pre-season preparations, is home to more than 10 million people, and the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium where they will play has an 80,000 capacity.
But while even seasoned internationals like Tim Cahill and Phil Neville may raise their eyebrows at the scale of Indonesia’s bustling, seriously hot capital, it is old hat to former Blue Marcus Bent.
The ex-Toffees striker, who was part of the David Moyes team that finished fourth in 2005, spent six months at Indonesian top-flight side Mitra Kukar last season.
And Bent believes Everton’s current players are set for an interesting experience – even if they might miss the showers back in Goodison Park.
“The main stadium is huge,” says the 34-year-old, who scored seven goals in 55 games on Merseyside. “It looks awesome from the outside and the pitch is nice as well. The facilities are not the best, with the showers you’d better tell the boys to bring some wet wipes.
“But my first impressions were that it was a good place. It was humid and hot from six in the morning until eight in the evening.
“We used to train at 7am to miss the sun but it was still 25-30 degrees. Nine in the evening will be sort of the same, it will be really humid. The boys will have done it before but it’s hard to run about in, it’s an experience. It will get their fitness levels up, trust me
“The stadiums looked good and they were trying to do things the right way. They will look after you. When a western team comes out they pull out all the stops. The hotels are awesome, especially in Jakarta.
“Jakarta is westernised; it’s a little bit like Dubai or Abu Dhabi with big malls and things like that.”
While Everton have a growing profile in the Thai capital of Bangkok thanks to their long-term sponsorship deal with Chang Beer, Bent insists the club is popular across South East Asia, where Premier League football is big business.
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