| |
| |
| |
HARRY KEWELL
|
|
| Position:
Midfielder
|
| Date of Birth:
22/09/1978
|
| Height:
5'10
|
| Weight:
12st 8
|
| 1st team games:
138
|
| 1st team goals:
16
|
| International caps:
34
|
| International goals:
12
|
| Former clubs:
Leeds United
|
| Birth Place:
Sydney, Australia
|
| |
Harry Kewell joined the Reds amid a wave of excitement in the summer of 2003.
The Aussie winger was already established as one of the Premiership's brightest talents having come through the ranks at Leeds United.
Kewell joined the Yorkshire outfit aged 15 after being spotted by Howard Wilkinson while with the New South Wales Soccer Academy.
The starlet was part of their 1997 Youth Cup triumph alongside Paul Robinson and Jonathan Woodgate - by which stage he'd already made his senior and international debuts.
Kewell went on to be voted PFA Young Player of the Year in 2000, but the highpoint of his Leeds career came the following season when he helped them reach the Champions League semi-finals.
His love affair with the club came to an end in July 2003 following their relegation from the Premiership.
Having turned down a move to Manchester United, the three times Oceania Player of the Year made his Reds debut in front of the Kop against Chelsea on August 17, 2003.
Kewell went on to score 11 goals in 49 games in his first season at Anfield.
The following campaign saw him bag one goal in 31 appearances. He was selected for the Champions League final against AC Milan in Istanbul, though injury meant he was replaced by Vladimir Smicer after just 23 minutes.
A year later, after scoring three goals in 41 appearances during the 2005-06 season, fate again contrived against the playmaker as injury forced him to be substituted half way through the FA Cup final victory over West Ham.
Despite this, Kewell was fit in time for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
It was the first time Australia had qualified for the competition since 1974, and the Liverpool man was there in the opening game against Japan.
After a substitute appearance versus Brazil, Kewell scored a crucial equalising goal against Croatia which took his side into the second round. Unfortunately, injury meant he played no part in the defeat to eventual winners Italy - nor indeed most of the following season back in England.
The winger returned to action in the penultimate league game of 2006-07 at Craven Cottage and went on to feature as a second-half substitute in the Champions League final against AC Milan.
|
|
