Oxford United head coach Gary Rowett receives traditional welcome at a press conference in Indonesia whilst on a pre-season tour.
The 51 year old and his team are seemingly being treated like Kings, and footage of it since going viral on social media.
The U’s have reached the President’s Cup final in Indonesia, having produced a 4-0 victory (attendance 9,100+) over Indonesian side Arema FC and a 6-3 win against ISL All Stars (attendance 40,100+).
Oxford will be hoping that their Indonesian stars Ole Romeny and Marselino Ferdinan are able to regain fitness for the final, with Ferdinan carrying a hamstring issue and Romeny, who netted the most recent game, stretchered off with an ankle injury on Thursday.
“We had already lost players to injury and illness,” Rowett said to BBC Radio Oxford.
“For Ole, it looked like potentially quite a bad one but we’ll see if he’s available for the final.”
Oxford are getting set to play Thai side Port FC in Sunday’s final.
SCENES IN INDONESIA: Oxford Utd boss Gary Rowett receives traditional welcome at press conference. #oufc pic.twitter.com/TmeqWalIH8
— BBC Oxford Sport (@bbcoxfordsport) July 11, 2025
This afternoon’s press conference. And yes, that is Gary Rowett riding a lion #oufc pic.twitter.com/gxoB0KCnKa
— Liam Rice (@OxMailLiamRice) July 11, 2025
“I’m happy we got through to the final, but I think as a manager at times, you don’t really necessarily want to play in a game that becomes a little bit dangerous in terms of one or two of the late tackles.
“We’ve lost a lot of players to injury already and a couple of players to illness, and then two more players to injury. Ole looks like potentially quite a bad one, and then JJ [Johnson].
“I thought we handled the game well, I thought we navigated the game well technically and tactically, and to score four goals is always nice.
“Every game we go into, we want to create a winning mentality. We want to try and do our best to do that.
“We also have to remember part of pre-season is trying to make sure players are available for the season. That’s been a challenge, we probably knew it would be a challenge.
“We’ve got a couple of days of rest and a little bit of downtime for the lads, and hopefully we’ll just manage to get through it. Win, lose or draw it’s important we get the work in.
“We have players available when we get back, and that’s just as important as actually winning the tournament.
“We’ve had two games so far with a crowd there, with a feeling of competition in the games, and in some ways, that’s possibly more enjoyable for players than it is playing a behind closed doors friendly back at the training ground.
Twitter users gave their reaction after the Oxford manager Gary Rowett receives a traditional welcome at a press conference in Indonesia…
@MTtitans: Can we do this first game of the season, please!
@tuft21: Bookmarking this for every Friday or post win
@Callum_OUFC: Life has peaked. It doesn’t get any better than this
@Hotspur67: 🤣 brilliant, I think all managers should enter press conferences like this.
@1mikelty: Why don’t all OUFC UK press conferences commence in this way? #OUFC
@TUFCnonleague: Okay, What is going on here? 😭🤣
@Jam4u_75: My beloved Oxford Utd out in Indoensia playing their national ‘Presidents’ cup’ tournamnet and at the same time getting valuable pre-season friednlies in and promoting the club to a new ‘un-tapped’ audience. What having a rich Indonesian owner does for you …!
@HarryCallaghan_: What the fuck is going on 😂😂😂😂😂
@Theo_Woollard: ‘Erick, I’m not getting up there. Only way that’s happening is if I get an extra couple of million for a striker..’ #oufc
@marcgregory1988: Hahaha this is the most un Gary Rowett thing I’ve ever seen. He’ll be in his agony here 🤣🤣🤣. Up the Indie Ox #oufc
@Scotty_mc10: Gary’s come a long way 😮💨
@conoromara93: Did not expect this one to be ticked off the twitter bingo card this morning 🤣🤣🤣
@lewvine: Gary, going beyond the ‘call of duty!’
@lukeoufcbodily: Being treated like superstars, love to see it #OUFC
@lukesamuellll: What the fuck is going on
@philclarke0170: Good to see Gary Rowett. Once a Lion, always riding a Lion
@calumgill24: Seen it all now
@alfieeswilson: If someone showed me this when he was Millwall manager and we were battling L1 relegation two years ago….. Sensational
@JPlumby_: I think we may have peaked
@archsimms_: Get this on a Surfer for Pompey at home 😂😂😂😂 #oufc
@Jackalbion96: Gutted Brighton decided not to go ahead with a potential tour in Indonesia
@FlaggysCorner: I think this is how we announce our signings from now on. What do you think guys ? @CAFCofficial #cafc
@tuft21: Right then. That’s half time entertainment we want to see. 4 people from each stand racing carrying a mate. Have we still got those @stjohnambulance red stretchers from London Road lying around? @Smith227Steve #oufc
@alexnljones: Absolutely incredible
@SumukhKaul: Ideas for the Kassam
“When I was Oxford United manager I was once rode a lion as four men carried me to our press conference.” #OUFC https://t.co/D1p8Ce2zUy pic.twitter.com/ru0k39topW
— Ailsa Cowen (@ailsawrote1) July 11, 2025
https://t.co/sa2sbhLBgs pic.twitter.com/6rKCVm3c1I
— dev* (@1Dev) July 11, 2025
