This week, Everton announced their inclusion in the 2012 Java Cup in Indonesia. South East Asia maybe a trip into the unknown for Everton but not for ex-Toffeeman Marcus Bent who has spent time out there in the twilight of his career.
Marcus has told about the country, the city, the football madness, what Everton can expect and also gave an insight on his relationship with his former team-mates.
Marcus said: '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. 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. The main stadium is huge. 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!'
'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.'
'Football is huge there. The fans have all got banners and horns, they are mad for them. You come out of the stadium with your ears ringing from the horns. They are into their fireworks; in a couple of games I played you couldn't see your hand in front of your face because of the smoke.'
'I would say the standard of football is very much 'developing. The backing the game has is awesome, I just feel they don't quite know how to develop the game just yet. Football is massive. Premier League games aren't usually on TV until after midnight but it's huge over there. The Premier League is the most popular league, unless Real Madrid and Barcelona are playing.'
'I sat down and watched an Everton game when I was over there and you don't realise when you are playing in the Premier League there is that much of a worldwide attraction. For football, Asia is huge; wherever I went I was mobbed and people were recognising me. Everton are a massive name over there. Man United are the biggest, you have got Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney on the billboards - but all the teams are there, even the likes of Stoke and West Ham. There are shirts everywhere - well there are fakes anyway!'
'I have been keeping myself fit, I have been speaking to Lee Carsley at Coventry, I have a few options in the US and in Australia so I am keeping myself fit and waiting to see what happens. I saw Timmy (Cahill) in Los Angeles, he was there with his wife and kids. It was nice to catch up, we had a good chat.'
'I am in touch with James Beattie, James McFadden, I still talk to Dunc once in a while, Lee Carsley, Kevin Kilbane, Kevin Campbell - I am still in touch with them all. Whenever we see each other we always have a good chinwag.'
A good insight from Marcus.
Now be honest, own up, did you have 'Bent' printed on the back of your Everton shirt? It's ok to admit as some redshite fans had 'Dicks' printed on the back of theirs!
Email Bluekipper at enquiries@bluekipper.com
