Liverpool FC Forum

[DonnieDarko]

Rumours have started to circulate that Kewell will be sold to Tottenham Hotspur to fund our other transfers. Is there any truth to this, or are they assuming we are selling Kewell because we got Gonzalez?

I personally think Kewell will play a big part next season and should start the season on the left wing. Whether he can keep the job from gonzo remains to be seen.

[Mark 23]

In the BBC rumours bit a few weeks a go, they said Rafa will offload Kewell if Gonzalez settles right away. Now if this was right, it would prove me right in the thread I started a few weeks back.  He is a big earner with the body of an old person, he has just recovered from goat, god knows what his next injury will be.  I am not knocking the ability of Kewell but I think he is a liability.

Me and a friend of mine were discussing the Liverpool Squad, and we thought that the wage bill was having an effect on the transfer budget.  Think how much Liverpool pay out each week to players who aren't doing much either through injury, or just that they are .  Kewell's wages much amount to 3m, possibly 3.5m.  Just had a glimpse at the squad and there are loads without squad numbers, and a few there, such as Dudek and Hamman, who must be big earners and aren't going to playing much if they stay.  Kirkland, Pongolle, Besian Idrizaj, Warnock, etc.  Warnock is a good left back, but not top 4 quality, think he would do a job for Blackburn, Newcastle or Spurs.  Do you get what I mean?

[7_Kewell]

In the BBC rumours bit a few weeks a go, they said Rafa will offload Kewell if Gonzalez settles right away. Now if this was right, it would prove me right in the thread I started a few weeks back.  He is a big earner with the body of an old person, he has just recovered from goat, god knows what his next injury will be.  I am not knocking the ability of Kewell but I think he is a liability.

Me and a friend of mine were discussing the Liverpool Squad, and we thought that the wage bill was having an effect on the transfer budget.  Think how much Liverpool pay out each week to players who aren't doing much either through injury, or just that they are .  Kewell's wages much amount to 3m, possibly 3.5m.  Just had a glimpse at the squad and there are loads without squad numbers, and a few there, such as Dudek and Hamman, who must be big earners and aren't going to playing much if they stay.  Kirkland, Pongolle, Besian Idrizaj, Warnock, etc.  Warnock is a good left back, but not top 4 quality, think he would do a job for Blackburn, Newcastle or Spurs.  Do you get what I mean?

I think Zenden will be ahead of kewell.  I just can't see where he's going to play.  He wasn't setting the left wing alight when he was fit and, unless he becomes a central midfielder, he'll be out with Warnock in Jan.

[Mark 23]

Zenden will be sluggish when he gets back from that injury, I think Riise still has a massive role to play in this team.

[wee_boi888]

This is a post on RAWK with an article by David Maddock from the Daily Mirror - none of this post other than this first sentence is by me :P

I know that the Mark Gonzalez work-permit saga has been discussed elsewhere, but bear with me. Because I think David Maddock has outlined a reasonable thesis in today's DAILY MIRROR:

RAFA Benitez was handed the key to his summer spending war chest last night when Mark Gonzalez was finally granted a work permit to play in England.

The Chile winger will now officially join the Liverpool squad, and that will allow the Anfield boss to sell off a number of players, with Harry Kewell likely to be the highest profile casualty.

Gonzalez was overjoyed last night to hear that the Department of Work and Pensions had granted his application, a year after he was turned down.

Benitez's entire summer transfer plans were based on the assumption that the Chile international would get his work permit.

The Liverpool boss needs funds to bring in his top two targets, striker Dirk Kuyt of Feyenoord and Seville rightsided midfielder Daniel Alves, who between them will cost £20million.

Liverpool have the money to buy one but Benitez must sell to raise the cash for the other, and it seems that the arrival of Gonzalez will offer him the leeway to sell players.

The winger who has been on loan at Real Sociedad for a year will be an automatic first choice on the left of midfield, which means that Kewell will be forced to play a bit-part role or leave Anfield. The latter is likely and Benitez will hope to raise funds from the sale of the Australian. Already, Bayern Munich and Tottenham have shown an interest.

Benitez will also hope to sell defenders Djimi Traore and Jan Kromkamp, while Dietmar Hamann has gone to Manchester City.

Already, the Liverpool boss has offloaded Fernando Morientes to Valencia for around £2million, along with youngsters like Zak Whitbread, David Raven, Robbie Foy and Darren Potter.

The Anfield chief will also finally get rid of long-term loan players like Bruno Cheyrou, Salif Diao, Anthony Le Tallec and Florent Sinama Pongolle this summer, freeing up funds to make his move for his top two targets.

Benitez was clearly delighted with the arrival of Gonzalez yesterday.

His performances in Spain's La Liga attracted interest from the likes of Real Madrid, and Benitez has revealed that he has already turned down bids for the winger that offered to double his initial outlay.

He said: "Mark is a player the supporters will like to see. He is an exciting left winger who can cross good balls and beat defenders."

Gonzalez said: "I have always said I wanted to play for Liverpool, and even when I had to wait a year I still wanted that more than anything.

"The manager showed faith in me by signing me and waiting for me, and I want to repay that."

The hiatus on some fronts (notably Alves and Kuyt) has certainly been frustrating. But even though everybody was pretty confident of Gonzalez getting his work permit this time around it makes sense that we did not act precipitatively. Now that we have Gonzalez active, with a fit-again Zenden as capable back-up, perhaps it will make sense to cash in on Harry "never-doubted-his-ability-but-what-about-the-commitment" Kewell?

The MIRROR's Maddock is generally regarded as having good contacts within the club. And this piece does at least seem to have some logic to it, rather than the usual slung together bits of rubbish you see in the tabs.

[azriahmad]

Kewell has not done enough to justify his huge pay, despite Rafa being so very patient with him and was somewhat rewarded by some good displays, alas Kewell is simply not consistent enough. While obviously skillful, he also seem to have lost some of the speed he had while at Leeds. It would be no surprise if he goes.

[Ciggy]

Doubt hanging over Kewell start to seasonJul 7 2006
 
By Ian Doyle, Daily Post
 
HARRY KEWELL'S Liverpool future has suffered a setback with the midfielder facing a race against time to be fit for the start of the season.

The 27-year-old was forced to miss Australia's World Cup second-round defeat to Italy last week with an infected blister on his foot.

But it is his ongoing groin and ankle problems that are endangering Kewell's availability for the start of the season, with Liverpool taking on Chelsea in the Community Shield on Sunday, August 13 before beginning their Premiership campaign at Sheffield United six days later.

While Kewell is currently working with the Liverpool medical staff at Melwood to continue his rehabilitation, Australia have privately conceded his chances of being fit for their Asian Cup qualifier against Kuwait on August 16 are slim.

And that must cast into doubt his fitness for the start of the league season, with Kewell facing increased competition down the left flank from new arrivals Fabio Aurelio and Mark Gonzalez.

Kewell is one of several Australia players considering retirement from the national team but has delayed any decision until he regains fitness.

"I've got to see what happens with my fitness in the immediate future and try to get everything right," said Kewell. "I'm not thinking about anything except getting myself fit again and doing well at club level."

Kewell was originally thought to have missed the game with Italy due to gout, but it transpired the infected blister was such that it would have ruled him out of the quarter-final had Australia progressed.

"The foot has settled down and it is an infection rather than gout," said Kewell's agent, Bernie Mandic. "His foot got bigger and bigger and the drugs he was on would have made the gout better if it had been that. Unfortunately, if we had played against Ukraine then Harry would not have played a second. The infection got that bad."

Reports that Kewell is now destined for an Anfield exit following Gonzalez's successful work permit application are premature, however, although Tottenham Hotspur are thought to be tracking the winger.

[welsh wizzard]

we don't need kewell, he will never be the player he was at leeds. He has had his day and is well past his best. Its now time for speedy Gonzales to show his skill and to set the premiership alight. J.A.R. will be a deputy at left back and left wing along with prob zendon.Traore,warnock,kirkland, and kewell can go there is 10m straight away to put towards a right winger or another forward.

[PCG77]

As big as a Harry K fan that i am... I would only sell him if we are desperate for the cash. His body might not inable him to play 50+ games a season from here on in.. But he would be a exceptional squad player with the amount of games we have to play these days. If he starts 20+ games he would be of great service and anyone who has watched his career closely will know how damaging he can be coming off the bench for the last 30 minutes of game.

Downside is can we afford to keep him as a squad player?? answer is probably sadly not. But either way i would definately not sell him until at least the January transfer window. That way we can ensure that the Speedy G can adapt to the premiership straight away.

[callaway360]

i realy want kewlle to stay. he has overcome a bad injury and has been getting better and better. we copuld of offloaded him by now but rafa wanted him to stay, it would be a shame if he went just as he was coming good, wouldnt you agree?

[clik]

i realy want kewlle to stay. he has overcome a bad injury and has been getting better and better. we copuld of offloaded him by now but rafa wanted him to stay, it would be a shame if he went just as he was coming good, wouldnt you agree?

i think he deserves a chance whether he takes it or not is down to him he needs to stay injury free and be a consistent performer, Rafa does i believe rate kewell so i reckon he'll get his chance

[stmichael]

massively improved last season after most (myself included) had written him off. however his inability to stay fit for long periods and his ridiculously high wages mean that i'd be tempted to get rid if a decent offer came in.

if anybody offered 6 million, i'd snap their hands off.

[7_Kewell]

next season we're going to be playing a LOT of matches.  Thus, we need 2 players for every position and i'm amazed that people want us to sell Kewell.  Who else will we play on the left if Gonzalez gets injured or doesn't adapt to the Premier league?  Zenden?! 

We need kewell and i don't think he's going anywhere.  Not unless we sign another left winger.

[clik]

massively improved last season after most (myself included) had written him off. however his inability to stay fit for long periods and his ridiculously high wages mean that i'd be tempted to get rid if a decent offer came in.

if anybody offered 6 million, i'd snap their hands off.

Agreed stmike but i honestly believe rafa will not sell kewell until jan and if he can stay fit i think he'll keep him but he has to play regularly which is something he hasn't done for 3 seasons
6m would be good business he's been linked with Spurs but he'd be a gamble for any manager

[kazza]

massively improved last season after most (myself included) had written him off. however his inability to stay fit for long periods and his ridiculously high wages mean that i'd be tempted to get rid if a decent offer came in.

if anybody offered 6 million, i'd snap their hands off.

He only improved once Australia qualified for the World Cup. I think his resurgence was due more to him wanting to be fit for the World Cup rather than any obligation he may have felt towards Liverpool, the team that paid his wages.

My prediction is he will have a poor season again. Hopefully not but I don't think so.