Gary Rowett defends Oxford United’s participation in President’s Cup 2025

Gary Rowett, Oxford United manager, strongly refutes suggestions that his team’s participation in the President’s Cup 2025 is merely disrupting preparation for the Championship 2025/26 season.

The club, owned by Anindya Bakrie and Erick Thohir, has completed three matches within seven days in Indonesia — facing various teams with mixed outcomes.

The U’s results during the pre-season tour:

• Won 6-3 against Indonesia All Star
• Won 4-0 against Arema FC
• Lost 1-2 against Port FC

Challenges faced by the team include pitch quality differences compared to Premier League standards, along with player injury risks. Ole Romeny suffered a serious injury after a tackle from an Arema FC player — sidelining him for several months ahead.