What ever happened to Harry Kewell?
That what’s got Soccerros coach Holger Osieck confused. Kewell hasn’t found a new club and hasn’t played competitive football in
over eight months.
Osieck says he hasn’t spoken to the two-time world cup finalist and isn’t trying to recall the star back to the team.
“It’s strange that a player of his quality is now without a club. I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenery and the agents
always play a role,” said Osieck before Australia’s 3-2 loss to Romania last week.
“It’s a very complex situation and I am not in position right now to give a statement.”
Currently in Manchester and training alone, Kewell has now severed ties with showbiz agent James Erskine after not being able to find a club and losing several lucrative endorsement deals over the last 14 months.
He rejected a $1 million deal to re-sign with Melbourne Victory after an impressive end to the 2011-2012 season to return to England for family reasons. At the same time he also rejected offers in the Middle East of around $2 million.
Voted by fans in July as Australia’s greatest ever player, Kewell did get into talks with the FFA on a return to Australian football, but turned his back on it after showing an initial interest.
The cost of being clubless since June has bitten deep for the former Leeds United, Liverpool, Galatasaray and Victory winger.
Sponsorships, estimated to be worth up to $2 million over several years, have evaporated since Kewell’s split from Victory.
Upon signing for Victory he was negotiating deals up to $500,000 a year from the likes of adidas, Nike, Channel 9, Ford, Qantas, Telstra, Fox, News Ltd and Crown Casino.
Source: SBS.
