Liverpool FC Forum

[bigmick]

My view on Kewell posted after last weeks Arsenal game.

Hey John that is a top post mate. Anybody who hasn't yet, give it a read.

[Rafa D]

I admit I WAS a Kewell doubter, I was so angrt with him when he failed to deliver and when he went off in the Champions League final - I declared his Liverpool career over. I have watched this season with amazment and shame as Harry is starting to show his true form- Harry and other Lfc fans - Please forgive me-----

[Paul C]

I was a 'Harry basher' 6-9 months ago but the lad has proved me wrong, the main problem that I had with Kewell was that he never bust a gut for the team by chasing lost causes and putting a foot in, since he returned to the first team last last year it's a completely different Kewell, he looks so much more determined and commited, plus he's putting in MOM performances 

Long may it continue Harry

[Lionheart]

My response to JMac's post

[the_red_alonso]

TBH he is improving but still he is not near his best.I'm happy he is finally giving us something to cheer about but I will not say that he is back.
I'll reserve my judgement till the end of the season & then we'll see where he really stands as now with the champions league re-starting the difficult phase of our season has just begun.
So Harry go on & show us the Harry of LEEDS.

[Liverpool 4 EVA]

Anybody who never slagged Kewell in the past was either Australian (most of those guys did stick up for him TBF), completely clueless or mind-numbingly loyal to the cause above and beyond the call of duty.

I think you're being a bit harsh there Bigmick mate

For me it wasn't logical that a talented player that is proven quality in the Premiership could all of a sudden become so poor and disinterested, it just didnt make sense. Coupled by the fact that he has had a really bad time with injuries, I didin't feel it right to be angry at him.

Perhaps some of my support of him was also down to just being REALLY hopeful, but not all of it.

I found a lot of people to be supportive of him, even in his worst moments, and none of the where from down under

Cheers.

[bigmick]

Ok I apologise to everyone who stuck up for Harry through thick and thin and always knew he would come back a good player. I apologise and salute their forsight and judgement in equal measure . It must have just been me then who thought he was swinging the lead, it seems most everybody else knew he was going to come back and be brilliant.

[ivor_the_injun]

It's hard to believe that left wing has been such a problem position for us over the last couple of years.

The guy is back, has most of his fitness about him and we're reaping the benefits.

I'm sure I've had more than a few cross words to say about the guy over the last year and a half, but I'll gladly swallow every single one of them now.

For me, he's well in contention to be our player of the season. His workrate has been utterly phenomenal, and it's an absolute pleasure to see him with the ball at his feet.

He's been absolutely ravaged by injuries, and I'm just glad that Rafa has kept him in mind. I just hope he gets the chance to show what he really can do in a Champions League final.

[Liverpool 4 EVA]

Ok I apologise to everyone who stuck up for Harry through thick and thin and always knew he would come back a good player. I apologise and salute their forsight and judgement in equal measure . It must have just been me then who thought he was swinging the lead, it seems most everybody else knew he was going to come back and be brilliant.

LOOL.

Nah, I was never sure to be honest, in fact there was a time when I thought it was OVER for him.....But I just kept on hoping

[el_stinger]

Mick, I'm Aussie, and I've been the most critical of him in the past.

I know he is becoming the Harry of old, he has a certain aggression, a hunger, a drive that isn't prevalent in most players of his stature. He was simply going through a bad patch, and blame it all you want on injury, it had to do with drive, passion and pure grit.

I must say, that I knew that he had turned a leaf when Australia played Ur gay in the second leg in Sydney. I saw something very special happen, and it was a twinkle in his eye, that maybe, just maybe something would go right for him and his career. When Aloisi sunk that penalty, a massive, and I mean MASSIVE burden was lifted off his shoulders. He was finally able to start playing his brand of football, away from the injury shackles and pressures us as supporters put onto him. But most importantly, he was finally able to believe. A belief that only comes with confidence of oneself, and we are starting to see the emergence of a future great. I'm not sure if we would all be singing his praises, had Australia not got into the World Cup, but that is another matter. That is in the coulda/shoulda forums.

Top post Leon and Jmac in your thread also. At the end of the day, those who slag off players when they are at their worst, are quite simply urging our players to do their darndest for the club. For OUR club. xpect our players to bleed for us on the pitch, and when they have a bad one, we will have a red hot go at why they have a cleaner kit than the rest.

[JC_81]

Can't say I never criticised Kewell.  Some of it was deserved though, especially on the couple of occasions where he was claiming to be injured for us and then miraculously recovered in time to join up with the Australia side or to play in a cup final for us.  It seemed at the time that his problem was psychological rather than physical even.

I have to say thouigh that I was not one of those who jumped on the bandwagon accusing him of faking injury against Milan.  That was over the top, no one would do that in the European Cup final, it made no sense.

It was always clear, as Leon has said, that he didn't turn rubbish overnight.  He obviously still had the talent, but until he got his head right and his injury problems sorted, we would never see it.  We saw glimpses of it in his 1st 6 months for us, but even then he was seemingly playing through pain.

I'll admit that as far as being an LFC player was concerned I'd written him off.  I thought he was too far down the Jamie Redknapp/Darren Anderton route of injuries to ever get back to his very best.  I'm glad to have been proved wrong though.  Kewell has been just about our best player over the last month or two.  He's playing consecutive games without any reaction to his injuries and looking sharp.  I still think he has another gear but hopefully the more he plays we'll see even more from him. 

I'd highlight his performance against Arsenal as his best this season.  His ball control and the way he carried the ball was something I've not seen from a Liverpool player since McManaman, he was a constant threat and above all looked hungry.  For some time we've lacked a player that can dribble and takle players on, Kewell can be that player.

I still think though that a lot depends on his fitness.  He needs to stay injury free for the rest of this season at least.  Another serious injury and I still think Benitez may decide to let him go.  No point having a quality player if he's always injured, lets hope Kewell's problems are behind him for good.

[Ace Ventura]

Can't say I never criticised Kewell.  Some of it was deserved though, especially on the couple of occasions where he was claiming to be injured for us and then miraculously recovered in time to join up with the Australia side or to play in a cup final for us.  It seemed at the time that his problem was psychological rather than physical even.

I have to say thouigh that I was not one of those who jumped on the bandwagon accusing him of faking injury against Milan.  That was over the top, no one would do that in the European Cup final, it made no sense.

It was always clear, as Leon has said, that he didn't turn rubbish overnight.  He obviously still had the talent, but until he got his head right and his injury problems sorted, we would never see it.  We saw glimpses of it in his 1st 6 months for us, but even then he was seemingly playing through pain.

I'll admit that as far as being an LFC player was concerned I'd written him off.  I thought he was too far down the Jamie Redknapp/Darren Anderton route of injuries to ever get back to his very best.  I'm glad to have been proved wrong though.  Kewell has been just about our best player over the last month or two.  He's playing consecutive games without any reaction to his injuries and looking sharp.  I still think he has another gear but hopefully the more he plays we'll see even more from him. 

I'd highlight his performance against Arsenal as his best this season.  His ball control and the way he carried the ball was something I've not seen from a Liverpool player since McManaman, he was a constant threat and above all looked hungry.  For some time we've lacked a player that can dribble and takle players on, Kewell can be that player.

I still think though that a lot depends on his fitness.  He needs to stay injury free for the rest of this season at least.  Another serious injury and I still think Benitez may decide to let him go.  No point having a quality player if he's always injured, lets hope Kewell's problems are behind him for good.

Good post John as always alot of sense, btw where have you been mate, not seen you on here for ages.
Good to see you back.

[JC_81]

Good post John as always alot of sense, btw where have you been mate, not seen you on here for ages.
Good to see you back.

Cheers Ace,

Unfortunately I've been on a work placement in the ar.sehole of nowhere for the last while so no internet access.  Have the afternoon off but still have another 2 weeks of the placement to do so I'll still not be able to post regularly for a while

[drummerphil]

I criticised him and well deserved it was too.I was extremely excited when we signed him as i was when we signed morientes based on his Monaco loan spell.Harry has frustrated me more than any Liverpool player in recent times and to be honest it has looked many times he has had no heart or desire to play for us.I knew he had the talent,at times at Leeds he was unplayable (who remembers that superb goal at Highbury) and he virtually single handed beat England 3-1 in a friendly against Australia,he looked world class that night,and i expected so much from him.
He has pranced around Anfield like a tart for  the last couple of years,more concerned about how his hair looks and appearences on MTV cribs plus his wifes comments on "i'm a celeb get me out of here" made me want to punch him.Although he has been injured a few times he never showed much motivation to overcome them and show a small percentage of desire and spirit to wear the red shirt as players like Carra does.
This last two months he has showed alot of progress and hes playing again like he has something to prove ,the fact its a world cup year and he could be looking for a move in the summer i will overlook for now.So i finish with has the real Harry Kewell finally stood up,i hope so and his tackle on Neville and his laugh after has done him no harm at all.

[7_Kewell]

As you can all tell from my user id, i've always been a kewell fan and have stuck by the guy through his difficult time here. 

Why?  Because i love to see players attack the ball and because i never honestly believed the people said about him "faking injury" or being "too lazy to play."  For me, the final insult was when some people claimed he limped off the Champions League final because he couldn't be bothered

The fact Kewell needed 2 operations after that match was all but forgotten by the "kewell OUT" brigade. (and there were threads which demanded Rafa sell him or give him a free transfer)

The bottom line was, Kewell was injured.....in fact, he hadn't been fit for 14 months and only played on because we were in so dire need of a left winger...i'm just glad Kewell stuck with it...because if he was as pathetic as some made out, he would have taken the easy route out months ago and left.