Harry Kewell Thread

[mr-r34]

Would you guys welcome him, personally i would without a doubt. and if he comes where do you reckon hell end up, Victory, Sydney, or maybe another club?

[ausbaz]

Victory and Sydney are the only teams who could probably pull him in, would be great for the league but I do not want Victory to get him, still a top player.

[Milano_Hustler]

Kewell wants a cut of gate receipts

He was greedy at Liverpool. He was greedy at Galatasaray. Now he wants to rip off the a-league. He isn't even Australian anymore. Talks like a pom.

[BarcaKizz]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/socceroos-star-harry-kewell-set-to-announce-he-has-signed-with-a-league-club-melbourne-victory/story-e6frf4gl-1226118556838

Melbourne Victory have confirmed that Socceroos superstar Harry Kewell has signed to join the Hyundai A-League club ahead of the 2011-2012 season.

Kewell has joined the club on a three-year deal, and will arrive in early September to begin preparing for the upcoming season.


"We believe this is the biggest player signing in the history of Australian sport," Victory chairman Anthony Di Pietro said on Saturday afternoon.

"(We) expect it to gain unprecedented interest in the game and our club. We expect everyone to jump on board."

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Victory coach Mehmet Durakovich was ecstatic with the news, and declared he had full faith that Kewell will be fit for the season kick-off.



"We had a training session this morning, got all the players together and told them the good news," he said.

"Everyone is over the moon, especially the young boys."

Durakovich, who sees Kewell playing behind the strikers, said he is very confident that Kewell will be ready for the start of the campaign.

"Harry is a true professional. If it’s one thing Harry looks after its his body. I’ve got no doubt come October 8 he will be there," he said.

"It is an honour to have him on board."

It's an exciting day for the Hyundai A-League! How big is the news? Join the debate!

Di Pietro said that the deal is an "unconditional agreement", and although the club has had to be patient throughout the drawn out contract talks, he declared Kewell wants to invest in the future of Australian football.

"The terms of the deal are confidential ... part of the reason it’s taken time is because its complex," Di Pietro said.

"It’s about an investment in football, which we’ve made together with Harry Kewell.

"Harry Kewell has been keen to come back on the basis that he is reinvesting and giving something back to football in this country."


Victory beat Sydney FC to snare Kewell, whose entire 15-year club career has been spent overseas with Leeds and Liverpool, before finishing with Turkish club Galatasaray.

There were stumbling blocks along the way, including revenue-sharing negotiations and potential side deals with Football Federation Australia, but with the deal finally secured, FFA chief executive Ben Buckley told Fox Sports News that he is "thrilled" to have Kewell playing in the domestic competition.

"We’re very, very thankful that Harry’s made the commitment," Buckley said.

"It’s a red letter day and we’re genuinely thrilled."

When asked about the protracted contract talks, Buckley said the end justified the means.

"Sometimes things take on a bit of a life of their own and creates theatre and drama," he said.

"At the end of the day we all had one goal in mind ... and pleasingly, the club has worked tirelessly, (Harry) and his management team (worked tirelessly) and we’ve (FFA) contributed to that as well.

"Sometimes it’s not about the process, it’s about the end result.

"As we’re already seeing from the internet and fans reaction, it’s a great thing for Australian football."

During the on-again, off-again speculation, rumours circulated that FFA were making it hard for the deal to eventuate. Buckley denied this when asked about the nature of the negotiations.

"I can categorically deny we were trying to shoot it down," he said.

"There were certain principles and aspects we couldn’t move on but pleasingly we got there in the end.

"Harry has signed and he’s going to play."

Buckley also praised Victory for their vision and initiative.

"I think Melbourne have set the benchmark for the competition off the field. They've been one of the most successful on the field. They're building their reputation locally and internationally.

"Being able to sign Harry demonstrates the leadership Melbourne Victory have within the competition."

Really disappointed he signs for Victory... he's from Sydney, he's said before that he supoorted Sydney FC and he signs for their rivals...

[Brigate Rossonere]

You think he cares about rivalry? All he cared was who could put the most money in his bank account...

[fatman123]

You think he cares about rivalry? All he cared was who could put the most money in his bank account...

this

[BarcaKizz]

Yeah... this is a huge shame. Why does he need to be that greedy?? Surely he has plenty of money. As if you wouldn't want to live in your real home, not Melbourne.

Anyway... we signed Emmo!

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