A RECHARGED Harry Kewell insists his injury nightmares that led to a year-long layoff will prolong his professional career by up to three years.
Kewell has received the green light from the medicos and will depart for the Asian Cup today to join his Socceroos team-mates in Singapore.
Speaking exclusively to The Sunday Telegraph before a golf day at Twin Creeks, Kewell yesterday said he "cannot wait to start'' for Australia since his late equaliser against Croatia sent the Socceroos into the second round of last year's World Cup.
Q. How is the health at the moment, Harry?
A. I'm in tip-top shape. The 11 months I was out my body could relax and it allowed me to get over the injuries, but I'm back, feeling good and really raring to go.
Q. You've been back for a few days and this is the trimmest and most relaxed I have ever seen you. Is that a fair call?
A. It's a major thing with any footballer or sportsman, if you are injured the easiest thing to do is put on weight. Because you eat for three people, when you're playing you burn it off, but if you're injured you still have the appetite and it can just pile on within a week. I relaxed a bit once I was immobilised, but six months before I started playing I was like a monk. It wasn't something I did on my own, I had my doctors, physios and everyone looking at it and we set out a regime.
Q. You didn't play for almost a year, how do you feel mentally?
A. I'm recharged! A lot of managers would love for their players to have such a break - obviously not to be injured, but to have six months off and fully recharge because the games in Europe come thick and fast and players tend to break down. It would be nice to rotate the team and for players to relax but it's difficult because you're playing for trophies and you need your best team out all the time. In a way my injuries were a good thing because it gave me the rest I needed, as I was going for long time up until the injury. I had 11 months away from the pitch, although I was working hard in rehab. But to get that rest was perfect and that could prolong my career for another two or three years maybe.
Q. Your Socceroo team-mate Craig Moore touched on how mentally draining it was in his rehab for last year's World Cup. The fact that time was on your side, did that aid your situation?
A. We first pencilled in a date for my return and I was looking forward to it, then I started running and the injury flared up and it put me back three weeks, then something else happened and it was so frustrating - I was thinking this is never going to end. But you've got to keep positive and hang around the right people. I always came home to a happy family, my wife and kids would always make me laugh so I could come home and get my mind off it.
Q. You have copped heavy criticism in relation to club versus country but you've made a lot of public appearances in the last few days and look relaxed. Is this a different Harry Kewell we're seeing post-Germany 2006?
A. You're always going to get people that will bag any player and that's part and parcel of football, and if a player takes it to heart then so be it. Every player wants to play for his country, the only hard thing for us Australians is that it's very far away to fly. The England team can just meet at Manchester and it's a two-hour drive or 40-minute flight. If all of our games were based in Europe, no player would have qualms about turning up. It's after you've played a Premiership game, then you have to fly to Australia to play and then fly back for another Premiership game when it catches up to you. We as a national team still need to rotate players. Everyone sees it as a common-sense approach but you're going to have that person that will question players' commitment to their country.
Q. How hard was it at Liverpool last season seeing as you injured yourself playing for the Socceroos?
A. It was tough, but the manager (Rafael Benitez) supported me through the whole thing. It wasn't something he was happy about, but it happened. I've got a year left at Liverpool and I can't wait to get back into it.
Q. Are you ready to play at the Asian Cup?
A. Yeah, I'll be straight into it when I arrive. Arnie (Graham Arnold) came over and spoke to the manager and they worked it out and I get to play competitive games and I'm really looking forward to it on a personal level, just to be involved in a tournament.
http://www.news.com.au/sundaytelegra...001023,00.html
Kewell has received the green light from the medicos and will depart for the Asian Cup today to join his Socceroos team-mates in Singapore.
Speaking exclusively to The Sunday Telegraph before a golf day at Twin Creeks, Kewell yesterday said he "cannot wait to start'' for Australia since his late equaliser against Croatia sent the Socceroos into the second round of last year's World Cup.
Q. How is the health at the moment, Harry?
A. I'm in tip-top shape. The 11 months I was out my body could relax and it allowed me to get over the injuries, but I'm back, feeling good and really raring to go.
Q. You've been back for a few days and this is the trimmest and most relaxed I have ever seen you. Is that a fair call?
A. It's a major thing with any footballer or sportsman, if you are injured the easiest thing to do is put on weight. Because you eat for three people, when you're playing you burn it off, but if you're injured you still have the appetite and it can just pile on within a week. I relaxed a bit once I was immobilised, but six months before I started playing I was like a monk. It wasn't something I did on my own, I had my doctors, physios and everyone looking at it and we set out a regime.
Q. You didn't play for almost a year, how do you feel mentally?
A. I'm recharged! A lot of managers would love for their players to have such a break - obviously not to be injured, but to have six months off and fully recharge because the games in Europe come thick and fast and players tend to break down. It would be nice to rotate the team and for players to relax but it's difficult because you're playing for trophies and you need your best team out all the time. In a way my injuries were a good thing because it gave me the rest I needed, as I was going for long time up until the injury. I had 11 months away from the pitch, although I was working hard in rehab. But to get that rest was perfect and that could prolong my career for another two or three years maybe.
Q. Your Socceroo team-mate Craig Moore touched on how mentally draining it was in his rehab for last year's World Cup. The fact that time was on your side, did that aid your situation?
A. We first pencilled in a date for my return and I was looking forward to it, then I started running and the injury flared up and it put me back three weeks, then something else happened and it was so frustrating - I was thinking this is never going to end. But you've got to keep positive and hang around the right people. I always came home to a happy family, my wife and kids would always make me laugh so I could come home and get my mind off it.
Q. You have copped heavy criticism in relation to club versus country but you've made a lot of public appearances in the last few days and look relaxed. Is this a different Harry Kewell we're seeing post-Germany 2006?
A. You're always going to get people that will bag any player and that's part and parcel of football, and if a player takes it to heart then so be it. Every player wants to play for his country, the only hard thing for us Australians is that it's very far away to fly. The England team can just meet at Manchester and it's a two-hour drive or 40-minute flight. If all of our games were based in Europe, no player would have qualms about turning up. It's after you've played a Premiership game, then you have to fly to Australia to play and then fly back for another Premiership game when it catches up to you. We as a national team still need to rotate players. Everyone sees it as a common-sense approach but you're going to have that person that will question players' commitment to their country.
Q. How hard was it at Liverpool last season seeing as you injured yourself playing for the Socceroos?
A. It was tough, but the manager (Rafael Benitez) supported me through the whole thing. It wasn't something he was happy about, but it happened. I've got a year left at Liverpool and I can't wait to get back into it.
Q. Are you ready to play at the Asian Cup?
A. Yeah, I'll be straight into it when I arrive. Arnie (Graham Arnold) came over and spoke to the manager and they worked it out and I get to play competitive games and I'm really looking forward to it on a personal level, just to be involved in a tournament.
http://www.news.com.au/sundaytelegra...001023,00.html
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