a very enthusiasticfist pumpingxabi alonso talking to fernando torres in the charity match lap of honor
From a 2007 interview with a Basque website.
Q: Liverpool is mostly known as an industrial city, is that still the case?
Xabi: At this point, its population is about 400.000 in the city itself, 800.000 with all the periphery towns it swallowed up. It’s still got industry, but many people left over the last 20 years as Liverpool went through an era of high unemployment.
Q: So what’s there to see if you want to go as a tourist?
Xabi: There’s all kinds of attractions. It’s going to be the European Capital of Culture in 2008, so they’re organizing lots of events, concerts and exhibitions. You can tell already that it’s going to give the city a great boost. There are also great neighborhoods by the Mersey, some are redeveloped and they’re building modern structures similar to the Kursaal [in San Sebastian].
Q: A number of Liverpool players’ houses have been robbed during away days in recent years. Sander Westerveld escaped a shooting when he lived there. Is Liverpool a safe place?
Xabi: Well, it’s not a small town and it does have its rough areas. We’ve never had anybody shooting at us. But it’s not that different from the Basque Country, you can walk around at night in most areas.
