HARRY KEWELL

'Harry Kewell' (born September 22,1978 in Smithfield, Sydney), is an Australian football (soccer) player who currently plays for Liverpool F.C. in the English Premier League. An exceptional dribbler on the wing also capable of playing as an attacking midfielder and as a second striker, he is often regarded within the media as "Australia's finest football export", despite his career being blighted with injury. Against Croatia he scored the crucial goal to get Australia through to the knockout stages of the 2006 World Cup. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Australian Professional Footballers' Association.^[1]
Over the past few seasons Harry has struggled greatly with injuries; despite this manager Rafael Benitez has kept faith in the Aussie winger and kept him in the Liverpool Senior Squad.

Contents

Early life

Club career

Leeds United

Liverpool

International career

FIFA World Cup Germany 2006

AFC Asian Cup Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam 2007

Personal

Career Honours

Leeds United

Liverpool

Australia

References

External links

Early life

Kewell was raised in Sydney by his English father, Rod, and Australian mother, Helen. He was educated at Smithfield Public School, St. Johns Park High School then later on changing to Westfield Sports High School and New South Wales Academy. At age 15, Kewell and future Socceroo teammate Brett Emerton travelled to England to trial with English Premiership football club Leeds United. Both were offered contracts but only Kewell was able to take up the offer, thanks to his father's heritage.

Club career

Leeds United

Kewell made his Leeds United debut as a 17-year-old on 30 March 1996 in a 1-0 home defeat by Middlesbrough. Kewell made his Australia debut in April 1996 in 3-0 defeat by Chile. The first goal he scored for Leeds came some time later, in October 1997, in a 3-1 League Cup victory over Stoke City.
He was sent off in Leeds United-Galatasaray UEFA Cup 2000 Semi-final 2.match. Playing mostly in a left midfield role and in attack, Kewell became one of Leeds' young stars in a troop of highly promising youngsters, eventually forming a striking partnership with fellow Australian Mark Viduka. The high point of this period was when they helped Leeds to the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League in 2000-01. However, the club began to suffer financial difficulties and, by 2002-03, having sold many of their best players, Kewell and Viduka's efforts in front of goal merely prevented Leeds' slide from being relegated from the Premiership.
Kewell left Leeds under acrimonious circumstances. In an infamous interview given to the BBC shortly before his move to Liverpool, Kewell lashed out against the staff at the club, stating that the medical staff worsened his injuries and that his teammates had ostracized him.

Liverpool

Kewell moved to Liverpool for the start of the 2003-04 season, reportedly snubbing an offer from Manchester United. The transfer was highly controversial because it was alleged that a significant portion (£2m of the £5m) went to Kewell's unregistered agent, Bernie Mandic to ensure that he ended up at Anfield. In a related matter, Kewell sued Gary Lineker in 2005 for defamation of character, but, with the jury unable to agree on a verdict, the parties had to settle out of court.
On 25 May 2005, Kewell became only the second Australian (after Craig Johnston) to win the UEFA Champions League, playing in Liverpool's win over A.C. Milan on penalties. Kewell was controversially selected by Benítez ahead of the defensive midfielder Hamann, signalling the club's intent to attack from the outset. The gamble proved unsuccessful, and an injured Kewell was substituted early in the first half with a torn adductor muscle.
In November 2005, after recovering from the injury sustained during the final, Kewell spoke to the Liverpool FC official website, saying that he had a strong desire to repay his manager Rafael Benitez for showing confidence in him by fielding him in the Champions League Final. He also thanked his wife and friends for the support shown to him while he recovered from injury. He also re-stated the severity of the injury which had forced him off in the Final and told his doubters that they were misguided to question the severity of his injury.
Kewell's form for Liverpool in the 2005-06 English Premier League season showed what he was truly capable of, scoring goals and plenty of assists, lending support to his assertion that his prior mediocre performance was the result of poor health rather than apathy.
Kewell played in the 2005-06 FA Cup Final, only to be substituted in the 48th minute due to abdominal pains. It was later confirmed by Liverpool that he had torn a groin muscle, but was expected to be fit for the World Cup.^[2]
On April 30, 2007 Kewell made his comeback from almost a year out of action. He came on as a 55th minute substitute for Liverpool F.C. Reserves in a `mini-derby' against Everton F.C. Reserves. On May 5, 2007, he came on as a substitute in the second half of Liverpool's match against Fulham at Craven Cottage, having not played for Liverpool since his substition in 2005-06 FA Cup Final. On May 13th 2007, Harry came on as substitute in the second half against Charlton in the last game of the Premiership. Speculation on whether he was to be selected in Liverpool's upcoming Champions League Final in Athens rapidly became positive for Kewell after providing an excellent game against Charlton. Harry provided a cross in for Dirk Kuyt to assist towards a Xabi Alonso goal and then scored a penalty on the 90th minute ^[3]. He played in the Champions league Final in Athens, coming on as a second half substitute for Bolo Zenden.
Kewell was injured for the start of the 2007-08 season, and subsequently was not included in Liverpool's 25 man squad for the UEFA Champions League group stages, meaning that he will not be able to play for Liverpool in European competition until the knockout stages, beginning February 2008.

International career

Kewell became the youngest player to début for the Australia national team when he played against Chile in April 1996, aged 17 years and 7 months. ^{[4] [5]} In November 1997, Kewell was selected to play for Australia in the country's World Cup qualifying game against Iran. At the Azadi Stadium in Tehran, in front of an estimated crowd of 120,000, Kewell scored his first ever goal for his country and gave Australia a 1-0 lead. Iran eventually drew level and the game resulted in a 1-1 draw, which set up a tense return game in Melbourne.
A then-record crowd for Australian football of 85,000 - at the Melbourne Cricket Ground - witnessed the second leg of this World Cup qualifier against Iran, as well as Kewell's second goal. The Socceroos eventually stretched their lead to two goals but Iran fought back and scored two vital away goals to finish the game 2-2 and qualify for the World Cup.

FIFA World Cup Germany 2006

In November 2005, Australia qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup taking place in Germany. It was the first time Australia had qualified for the World Cup since 1974 when it was held in West Germany. To reach the World Cup Australia beat Uruguay in a two-legged play-off. Kewell was considered instrumental in the Socceroos' defeat of Uruguay, turning the course of the match when he entered as a substitute. He scored the first penalty for Australia in the deciding penalty shoot-out, which they went on to win 4-2.
Kewell played in Australia's opening game of the 2006 FIFA World Cup against Japan in Germany. He did not start for Australia in their second group match against Brazil but again entered as a substitute, missing an early opportunity when Dida punched the ball out dangerously. Kewell was reported to FIFA by referee Markus Merk for verbal abuse after the match but he escaped being sanctioned.
In the Croatia vs Australia game Kewell scored Australia's second goal to equal the score at 2-2. Australia only needed a draw to qualify for the second round for the first time. He was also awarded Man of the Match, which made him Australia's second Man of the Match at a World Cup (after Tim Cahill).
Due to suspected gout,^[6][7] (later diagnosed as septic arthritis — a bacterial infection in the joints of his left foot) Kewell was unable to play against Italy in the knockout stage, which saw Australia eliminated from the World Cup.

AFC Asian Cup Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam 2007

Kewell did not play for the national team for a year following the World Cup, and made his national-team comeback in a friendly against Singapore in late June 2007. The match was Australia's last before the Asian Cup and Kewell came on as a substitute in the 65th minute, and went on to score his eighth international goal and provide a cross for the final goal in a 3-0 victory. Kewell was a key part of the Australian squad for the Asian Cup. Kewell scored his 9th international goal for Australia, scoring the 4th goal in a 4-0 victory over Thailand in the Asian Cup. After the group stage, in a quarter-final against Japan, Kewell was sent on to the pitch to replace Mark Viduka in the 61st minute, in a 1-1 draw. A penalty shootout was required to break the deadlock and Kewell's first penalty shot for Australia was stopped. Australia ultimately lost the shootout and was eliminated from the Asian Cup.

Personal

Kewell is married to English soap star Sheree Murphy whom he met at the Majestyk club in 2000. They were married in Las Vegas in May 2003 and have two children, son Taylor (born 2001) and daughter Ruby Heather Toni (born 2003). Harry Kewell is a supporter of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. He enjoys playing golf in his spare time. He is considered Australia's most famous sportman after Greg Norman.

Career Honours

Leeds United

'Winner'

★ 1996–97 FA Youth Cup

Liverpool

'Winner''

★ 2004–05 UEFA Champions League

★ 2005–06 FA Cup
'Runner-up'

★ 2005 FIFA Club World Championship

★ 2004-05 Football League Cup

★ 2006-07 UEFA Champions League

Australia

'Runner-up'

★ 1997 Confederations Cup

References

1. Australian Professional Footballers' Association: PFA Team
2. Kewell Injury Verdict
3. http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N155844070504-1638.htm
4. Bring On The Young Blood
5. Socceroo 1996 Matches
6. Kewell injury curse lingers
7. Gout caused Kewell to miss match

External links

★ Official Liverpool profile

★

★ Profile at premierleague.com

★ Profile on Adidas.com