'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 too.

There 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 thrive.

It 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 Ferdinan.

Romeny 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 play-offs.

By 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 that.

Part two of Jerome Sale's tour recap will be published on Tuesday.