Liverpool FC Forum

by **Starbridge42** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 12:42 am

Liverpool: UNDER-fire Liverpool striker Harry Kewell yesterday revealed he had sacrificed his own form to help his club cope with a crippling injury toll.
Dismissed by critics as the sorcerer who has lost his wand, $200,000-a-week Kewell admits he has been "well below par".
He said he would have asked for injury-leave if manager Rafael Benitez had not implored him to keep playing in the absence of star imports Djibril Cisse, Milan Baros and Luis garcia.
Australia's most gifted player wanted a month or two off without pay in order to overcome a persistent ankle problem which has conspired with previous groin and hamstring injuried to erod his effectiveness and expose him to ridicule.
"Ideally I'd have taken a break because its obvious I've been struggling to produce anything near my best for a while now," Kewell said.
"But the boss has terrible injury problems and I have to do what I can for the team.
"At this level of football if you cant run freely its difficult, if not impossible, to deliver your best.
"I've been playing it a bit safe on the pitch because I know I can't produce the intesity people expect.
"It's been difficult and I've been the target for a few people who have rightly said I'm not up to scratch.
"What disappointments me is some of them have hammered me without acknowledging that I've not been fully fit."
Kewell said he had not been training properly because of an injury picked up while playing in Australia's win over the Solomon Islands in October.
"I'm confident I'll turn the corner soon because my confidence is still there and slowly but surely I'm getting towards full-fitness," he said.
"I've come close to scoring lately for both Liverpool and ustralia and if one had gone in I would have been treated a lot differently."
The pressure on Kewell resumes on Sunday when Liverpool travels to Aston Villa, the club managed by David O'Leary, who was as the Leeds helm 21/2 years ago when Kewell was the talk of the league - for all the right reasons.

Well I'm not sure what to make of anything Kewell says except i know for a fact that 'what disapointments me...' is almost as shameful as some of his performances this year. I hope it is just this injury and we will see the real Kewell one of these days.

by **LFC #1** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 12:48 am

if that is in fact true then it really shows his committment to LFC ,and you can't possibly slate him for that.

by **Dalglish** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 1:04 am

LFC #1 wrote:if that is in fact true then it really shows his committment to LFC ,and you can't possibly slate him for that.

Agreed ....

I've said it before on here WHY does there always have to be "good" guy and a "bad" guy. This is football not a bleedin pantomine

by **mrcool2003** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 1:16 am

i dont buy it, i think its just a ****** excuse to save his bacon

by **Dalglish** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 1:19 am

mrcool2003 wrote:i dont buy it, i think its just a ****** excuse to save his bacon

So whose for the "lets kick a player whilst he is down" treatment next week ?

Supporters my ****** !!!!

by **mrcool2003** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 1:22 am

i am a supporter but hes gone on for 2 seasons with a injury? theres no way, if he was that bad he would of did it before the start of the season, the injuries we had are only recent

by **Paul C** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 1:24 am

I'm unsure weather to believe him but it would explain why he looks so lazy, I suggest that he takes some time out in Jan when we get the squad sorted and gets this ankle seen to!!!

by **banana** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 1:25 am

It would be really surprising if Kewell all of a sudden started to produce good football. But I am willing to give him until the end of the season to prove his worth. It has been three years since Kewell was at his best. No injuries last that long.

by **Dalglish** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 1:28 am

mrcool2003 wrote:i am a supporter but hes gone on for 2 seasons with a injury? theres no way, if he was that bad he would of did it before the start of the season, the injuries we had are only recent

So you would have seen his performance against Arsenal last season then At Anfield ? His goals in the CL and the Prem ?

My argument is not to say he is playing well when its patently obvious he isn''t but the guy comes out and explains some of the reasons and you lot slate him and call him essentially a Liar

by **crazyhorse** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 1:35 am

I say give him a chance. No one can doubt his ability and skill. I would rather have an in form harry kewell over most left sided wingers in the world - including Giggs.

by **greenred** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 1:36 am

Kewell is an Aussie and probably reckons he`s due a couple of months swanning around Europe in a Volkswagon van. Who needs the bother of football when you can be swanning it on a Tenerife beach?

by **cheesecake** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 2:01 am

Enough excuses, the gravy train must stop here. I am a shamelessly massive Harry Kewell supporter, have been for long time. But I love Liverpool more. Sorry, I just dont believe that Rafa would play him half fit because of the horrific injury toll at Anfield and also risk losing Kewell for an extensive period. I smell someones pants on fire (liar, liar). Ive had a gutfull of his rubbish. Shape up or ship out Mr Kewell. This is Anfield. (Please shape up)

by **greenred** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 2:05 am

Dom de Dom Dom Dom Dom

by **wee_boi888** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 8:35 am

"An excuse is just a well thought out lie - i forgot who said it.

I believe him. I think its a valid reason...but for the good of the club, if he doesnt recover we must offload him

by **Ciggy** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 8:46 am

I would believe him had he went to the states for the op in the summer, but instead he was frolicking on some beach with his mrs, so its his own fault really.
You see the half heartedness from him as hes scared to get injured, but it really is his own fault he should have done things the right way.
And maybe fans would be more forgiven.

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"it's my ankle" - Kewell has slump excuse

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