Harry Kewell

[Arn]

One of the best players in the world before he got all the injury problems that ended his career at the top.

Very, very clever player.

Mainly because leading up to our big night in Istanbul he was injured for a few months and at no point did he make an effort to get fit to play for us in the league when we were struggling

He was forced to play even if he wasn't fully fit. That was the managers decision. He took many painkilling injections to be able to play. So the didn't make any effort to get fit isn't exactly true. He would probably loved a long rest to sort out his problem once and for all but even half fit Kewell was at that time our best option on the left so he played on when he shouldn't have done it.

He is a selfish cunt who had no interest in fighting for the team and only for self-glory.

A selfish cunt that played almost half year half fit with a lot of pain. Yeh, right He played through the pain barrier for several months.

I was horrified to see him return and start that night in Istanbul and he ended up nearly costing us big time because he clearly should never have been on the park

That was Rafa's decision. Do you think any player would have turned down the chance to play in a CL final?

[Buzzo]

I know a lot of people aren't the biggest fan of Harry but obviously I am. This thread is another thread like the Ronaldo and King Kenny thread. Basically, I was just watching the Aussies play and every time Kewell got the ball I thought to myself there was a time when one of the best clubs in the world payed a lot of money for you, but now he is so average. While I know he was never that good for Liverpool he was good for Leeds as my old man tells me. What can you tell me about him play wise and ability wise, and everthing else you know. Also, how did he compare to other world class players at the time. I also started the thread because you guys here know more about football then anybody here (australia) and despite all the questions I never seem to have been answered to the extent I would have liked. Cheers guys!

At the time signing Harry was an absolutely massive coup for the club. When he left Leeds he did so as a massive star. Man Utd, Arsenal and ourselves all heavily courted him, and unbelievably he chose us. For my part I was totally made up.

At Leeds Harry was part of a very exciting and attack minded team who in the space of a few years developed into on their day perhaps the most attacking team in the league. They also (and here in was the crux of the Leeds United problem) seemed to have an open chequebook approach to team building and over paid on a lot of players. Harry seemed a versatile and technically gifted forward (though I am informed by Leeds supporting mates - occasionally a bit 'work' shy). For me the one thing that shined out about Harry was his technique and a wicked left foot - always a rarity in football. He seemed to be a scorer of great goals. With such a fantastic left foot, and LFC's need for a strong world class left winger it should have come as no surprise to see Harry play on the Right wing when he first signed... such is, was and always seems to be the ever perverse nature of all things LFC. This was a period (much as now - though not quite so bad) when Liverpool were massively inconsistent and had a manager in Gerrard Houllier who was totally losing his way. Kewell also seemed to form a strong friendship with the Lord of the Manor of Frodsham Djibril Cisse (a tattoo thing no doubt) another frustrating Liverpool star.

Sadly for Harry he was utterly blighted by injury when at LFC and upon Rafa's arrival was never in form and injury free to really make an impact. Shame really. In my mind a class player who I hoped would become an absolute Liverpool star... his career never really took off at Anfield. To me he is a similar status as Jamie Redknapp superb ability but due to injury a player we never really got to see the best off, or never really kicked on to the next level.

NB. Also we got Harry for the surprisingly low amount of £5.5 million. And given that at the time he was probably a £15-20 million pound player this was a steal. Some hooky contract thing where his agent got paid about £3million as well.

[saj]

Very good player and was exactly what we needed and still do. The problem was, he was always injured. In his first season, he did ok for us and scored a few goals. But the season after (Rafa's 1st season), he spent long periods injured. In Rafa's second season, he did very well and played every game as a proper winger. He could beat players and get to the by-line and put dangerous crosses in and I would argue (although his goals return wasn't as good as previous seasons), this was quite possibly the best football he played in England. The team had balance because of him. He was IMO, part of the best Liverpool team/season in terms of the way we played, even better the team that finished second a couple of seasons ago. If we had made a better start that start to that season and had a decent striker, we would have won the league in that season (2005/2006) and Kewell did contribute a fair amount that season as well has having the most vile hair style. We went something like 13 games without conceding a goal that season! If it wasn't for injuries, he would have been an amazing player for us and probably still would have been playing for us.

[Harv]

I don't like him for many reasons. Mainly because leading up to our big night in Istanbul he was injured for a few months and at no point did he make an effort to get fit to play for us in the league when we were struggling.
Everytime he opened his mouth it was to say that he would get himself ready for the champions league final. He is a selfish cunt who had no interest in fighting for the team and only for self-glory. I was horrified to see him return and start that night in Istanbul and he ended up nearly costing us big time because he clearly should never have been on the park

He's a ******

**** off.

If you even knew half of what he went through with our ****house physios you'd change your tune.

Our clubs ineptness ****ed his career up good an proper. He was one of the best LW's going around when we signed him. He chose us over every other big club, and far bigger wages. He had a great start to the season, and then it all went tits up when he ****ed his ankle up i believe, his ankle has never been the same.

He was never given a chance by our "fans" either after his first season. Despite continually playing through pain over his career with us "fans" still have the gall to call him a "cunt" and a "******"

What exactly did he do to deserve that?

[Fosterbloke]

We should have got this -

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3X4Q8mTd4c"]YouTube - HARRY KEWELL PENALTY IN TRAING[/ame]

Instead we got something like this -

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIa8UZ1S7yM"]YouTube - Worst football miss ever! (Ilija Sivonjic) [HQ][/ame]

[Buzzo]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVdErEVzX38"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVdErEVzX38[/ame]

[Fernandinho]

New compilation I haven' seen btw I will never get over that goal vs Croatia. Drew the game despite being bent over by the referee and our idiot other keeper (Kalac from Milan) letting a ball roll over his body Rob Green style. BTW he was offside for that goal so get that into you cunt referees from that WC

[Assassin]

You tube complitations make all players look World class. As V said he is a ******

[Buzzo]

You tube complitations make all players look World class. As V said he is a ******

Utter ****e - to prove it have a look for youtube clips of Christian Poulsen and Paul Konchesky and compare.

[Pablo]

He was so well balanced on the ball at his peak, he used to glide across the pitch, he was such a graceful player. At Leeds he was majestic for a few seasons.

Then he joined us and injuries ruined him

[Rich]

He was a fantastic player for Leeds and when we signed him I truly thought "this is it". At Leeds he was more than just a winger. Could beat people, but also had the craft and the guile to play in the hole and thread lovely little passes through. Capable of scoring wonderful goals. I particularly remember a superb chip against Sheffield Wednesday. He had it all, really. One of the best players in the league at the time.

And then he signed for us.

I've got to disagree.

Living fairly close to Leeds and having a good mate who was a big fan I went to Elland Road a few times in the Kewell era and I never saw him have a great game.

For me he was a YouTube/Highlights/MOTD player. He'd go missing for most of the game and then pop up with the winner and promptly disappear again.

Now I'm not saying that that isn't a great gift and skill to have - but I never saw him dominate a game which he has this aura regarding his wizardry at Leeds.

Very good player but not great. Had an excellent first 4/5 months in a Liverpool shirt before the injuries kicked in, when Houllier finally tried attacking teams, before a couple of unjust results scared the bloke into becoming even more defensive than usual.

[Pablo]

I've got to disagree.

Living fairly close to Leeds and having a good mate who was a big fan I went to Elland Road a few times in the Kewell era and I never saw him have a great game.

For me he was a YouTube/Highlights/MOTD player. He'd go missing for most of the game and then pop up with the winner and promptly disappear again.

Now I'm not saying that that isn't a great gift and skill to have - but I never saw him dominate a game which he has this aura regarding his wizardy at Leeds.

Very good player but not great. Had an excellent first 4/5 months in a Liverpool shirt before the injuries kicked in, when Houllier finally tried attacking teams, before a couple of unjust results scared the bloke into becoming even more defensive than usual.

I remember him and Bowyer having absolute stormers against us on a couple of ocassions.

Both him and Ince were meant to be the "final piece in the jigsaw"

[McDermotX]

I've got to disagree.

Living fairly close to Leeds and having a good mate who was a big fan I went to Elland Road a few times in the Kewell era and I never saw him have a great game.

Now I'm not saying that that isn't a great gift and skill to have - but I never saw him dominate a game which he has this aura regarding his wizardy at Leeds.

Always had a few Leeds fans telling me how he wasn't all that...........now whether that was down to sour grapes about losing him in a rather dodgy way, or whether they genuinely thought he was massively overrated is unclear. Probably a bit of both in all honesty, but one thing is for certain, they certainly saw the best of him, whereas all we ere left with was an expensive (wages-wise) waste of space.
Apart from maybe a dozen games, he was a complete flop for us. Injuries of course played a huge part in that, and they are most of the time out of your control, but as with all long-term injured players, I always feel there is a level of individual responsibility that a player needs to be held accounted for.
Rushing back from injury, unnecessary international commitments, improper warm-ups/downs, lifestyle choices etc etc etc...........we don't know Kewell personally so a lot of that is hearsay, but it wouldn't surprise me if Harry looks back on certain things and wishes he done things differently in order to accommodate his fragility. That goes for a club and country's medical/playing staff responsibility's as well.

In any case, he's ancient history for us, so best not to wallow in the past about what might have been..........................time to look to the future and see what Roy has lined up for our left side. Whatever muppet he brings in may have nothing on Kewell playing wise, but hopefully he'll be able to at least play **** for a full season

[Fernandinho]

He didn't actually get to play many internationals once he went to Liverpool if I remember right. He was always injured when we played and was only returning from injury once he qualifiers for 2006 came around. And his hair was horrific then, like Beckhams long hair.

[Shaggy]

I remember him and Bowyer having absolute stormers against us on a couple of ocassions.

So do I. Can't say I watched Leeds every week but I watched them on the telly a lot, league and CL, and he was often outstanding IMO. I recall him having stormers against us, Arsenal, Wednesday, Man United (when he ruined Neville), Everton and other games too. I also know (knew, he's vanished off the face of the earth since) a Leeds fan (ST holder) and he raved about him continually.