It was a serious enough question, but it had Robbie Fowler's manager in fits of laughter. Could the former Liverpool and England striker, at the age of 34, dominate a fledgling championship like Australia's A-League as the marquee player for new a franchise, the North Queensland Fury?
George Scott, Fowler's long-time agent and spokesman, found the inquiry so humorous he could only respond with giggles and guffaws as he fronted the local and national media at Fury's base of Townsville in January ahead of Fowler's signing.
Four months later, as North Queensland prepare for their first competitive outing - on Asian soil - the joke could soon be on their star import.
With the start of the new Hyundai A-League season still nine weeks away, Fowler is already struggling with a groin strain that puts him under an injury cloud for today's friendly against Singapore club Tampines Rovers. He may have once been known as 'God' by the Anfield faithful, but as he approaches his mid-30s he is now showing he's a mere mortal.
'We don't want to take any chances with him,' said Fury coach Ian Ferguson. 'The priority for the Fury is to make sure he's ready for the start of the season rather than worrying about pre-season games.'
As they've tried to sell tickets with the main attraction's participation not guaranteed, the organisers of Fury's visit to Singapore's Jalan Besar Stadium are getting a fleeting taste of what some of his recent clubs have also discovered. While the Fowler name still creates a buzz and might initially get people through turnstiles, the reality is that his ageing body doesn't allow him to perform as often - nor as potently - as his glory days.
