Mike Cockerill's blast at Harry...

[The Kop]

Fair game imho.
mike, really, really, likes, commas.

http://www.theage.com.au/world-cup-2010 ... -yjw6.html

HERE I am Harry, where I was always going to be and where I'll be for the next few weeks. Covering the World Cup.

Not covering you, exclusively, I must admit. I like to get around. On Wednesday afternoon, when you seemed to be rather upset that I wasn't squeezed among the press pack at Ruimsig, tape recorder in hand, I was actually in Pretoria. Months ago I applied, and received, accreditation to report on South Africa's game against Uruguay. You can check if you like.

Perhaps if I'd known you were going to front the cameras - we're not generally told who Football Federation Australia are ''putting up'' in advance - I would have changed my plans. Come to think of it, no I wouldn't have.

You see, Harry, I spent a lot of years, a lot of energy and a lot of effort chasing you for quotes around the world. I was there when it all began for you in 1996 - in fact, I was there a long time before that - and I'm still here now.

Ninety per cent of that time, you've blanked me. The last time, four years ago in Yokohama, I made a decision there wasn't much point in the charade any more. Something I conveyed, quite clearly, to your manager, Bernie Mandic. So you got on with your life and I got on with mine. That's fair enough. There's plenty of athletes and plenty of journalists who don't get on. Nature of the beast and all that.

What's also true in this business is that if you dish it out, you've got to take it. I've dished it out to you in the past week and I'm happy to take it. But I stand by every word I've written. Every single one. You've had a dream run in terms of scrutiny, real scrutiny, regarding your performances. You know it, Bernie knows it. In fact, Bernie once told me - remember when you brushed me at Waverley Oval? - that as far as Team Kewell was concerned, the football media was a joke, utterly irrelevant. Give us Ray Martin over you numpties any day was Bernie's point. A message conveyed, I might add, in much more forceful language than that.

So if what is written by a football journalist means diddly-squat, I'm not quite sure why my words over the past few weeks have got under your skin. And they have because you went to the FFA last week and demanded my accreditation be revoked. The accreditation I need to cover the Socceroos. That's 23 players, by the way, not just you.

So here's the thing, Harry. You know and I know that most of the media are in your thrall. One hack even professed his love for you the other day. I happen to believe it's what you do on the pitch for Australia that counts. Not what your PR machine spins out. Not how good you look in a pair of undies. And I happen to believe, since the last World Cup, you've done bugger all. I couldn't praise you enough after the game in Brisbane against Iraq. You can get the clippings if you like. But the rest of the time, as far as I'm concerned, you've been a myth.

Now you've got the chance to show you're not. That there's still something in the tank. Go out against Ghana, when our World Cup is on the line, when your own international career is on the line, and do something. Actually DO something. Prove something. And if you do, I'll be the first to praise you. As for the rest of it, I'm still here, still writing about football and hope to be for a long time to come.

[admin]

What Cockerill wrote about Kewell was pretty insulting and very harsh for a player that has done more than almost any other player to raise the profile of football in Australia.

[Lumper]

Harsh but fair.

There's always two sides to a story afterall. Sounds like Mike C has had a gutful of the myth that is Harry Kewell and was simply saying his piece.

[Steve#4]

I agree with lumper....It is the press that sees the prima donnas for what they are..Most won't report it though.

Live up to the myth Kewell or Australia is out of the cup.

[admin]

Harsh but fair.

There's always two sides to a story afterall. Sounds like Mike C has had a gutful of the myth that is Harry Kewell and was simply saying his piece.

Last I saw saw Harry Kewell was real and has done much more for Australian football than any other footballer over the last 15 or so years.

He isnt a myth - he is a real footballer - name a more successful Australian footballer over the past 15 years?

Mike C has an axe to grind and has let that get in the way of his professional judgment.

[Lumper]

I refer to Harry as a myth because recently he has done FA and seems to be riding the coat tails of his days gone by.

Harry needs to man up and step up to the plate tomorrow night and show us that he's not passed it and can be the match winner he (and the majority of journos) would have us believe he is.

Cockerill was calling it like he sees it, which is his job.

I coldn't really give a toss about his achievements over the last 15 years. Good on him. Congratulations. But that means stuff all at the moment when we're staring down the barrel of a quick trip home!!!

[Modiano Triestine]

World Cup..Not a "token of appreciation" event.

Let the journos hack the coach the players & the Australian football system....

motivation to come out and give it all to give something to the supporters and followers.

many of them playing their last world cup & the way they played against Germany they should be ashamed of themselves.

Harry Kewel to have the game of his life...."last harrah !" or will it be the "last haha!", tomorrow night....c'mon !

[Lumper]

World Cup..Not a "token of appreciation" event.

Let the journos hack the coach the players & the Australian football system....

motivation to come out and give it all to give something to the supporters and followers.

many of them playing their last world cup & the way they played against Germany they should be ashamed of themselves.

Harry Kewel to have the game of his life...."last harrah !" or will it be the "last haha!", tomorrow night....c'mon !

Hopefully that'll be the driving force the players need. However why you'd need extra motivation to fire up for the worlds biggest sporting event is beyond me...? Many players didn't seem to get out of 2nd gear against Germany.

[Modiano Triestine]

If they dont come to play against Ghana...send them to the "El Indio" bar in Medellin (Columbia).

[SpursOnTheRise]

He may have done wonders for Australian football but does that give him immunity for the rest of his career, because of what he did in the past he cant be criticised now. I think people are afraid of criticising him, and like cockeril says he's a myth, he was good in his younger days but when was the last time you saw him take a game by the scruff of the neck and change things. He's lost alot of pace and some of his quick feet, now he's just an average player but because he used to play for Liverpool and is Austalian golden child no one ever wants to bad mouth him. Well done Mike.

[Russia2O18]

Harry is Australia's greatest player IMO, but I'm not sure what he's doing at this tournament

2 minutes of football..i dont care how good you are doesnt warrant selection

Harry should also not get involved in these confrontations. Cockerill is paid to publish these stories. Kewell is paid to play.

[admin]

Cockerill has chosen to pick on a player that did not even play against Germany. How about having a go at some of the players that performed so poorly on the field - not someone that was sitting on the bench.

If Kewell plays tonight and performs woefully then it may be appropriate to criticise him.

To criticise Kewell without him even kicking a ball is just rubbish. Give him a chance to kick a ball.

[Los Del Eague]

He may have done wonders for Australian football but does that give him immunity for the rest of his career, because of what he did in the past he cant be criticised now. I think people are afraid of criticising him, and like cockeril says he's a myth, he was good in his younger days but when was the last time you saw him take a game by the scruff of the neck and change things. He's lost alot of pace and some of his quick feet, now he's just an average player but because he used to play for Liverpool and is Austalian golden child no one ever wants to bad mouth him. Well done Mike.

I was lucky enough to be there when Harry played his best 2 games for Liverpool, Everton away and Leeds away, 2 great goals that showed why he
was considered a real bargain and a potential superstar in a red shirt..........................apart from them 2 games he was largely shite.

Believed his own hype too much and went missing far too many times.
Shouldnt even be in South Africa in my opinion but if he shows up and does what we know he can do I'm sure everyone will love him again.

As for the article, its fair

[COLOSSUS]

Harsh but fair.

There's always two sides to a story afterall. Sounds like Mike C has had a gutful of the myth that is Harry Kewell and was simply saying his piece.

Im with Lumper on this admin, sorry to say. The truth is the truth and the truth is that credit should go to Harry Kewell for 'HELPING" raise Australian Football admin, not all by himself i might add. You see, Football is a team game and it takes teams to win as it takes teams to lose. As far as i see it (and i loved the way Harry played the game when he was at Leeds), Harry is living off his years gone by. He needs to be accountable for the "now", not the "then". You are only as good as your last performance and they have been very few and far between, when he is actually on the park of course. If Harry thinks he himself is the only reason why Australian Football is where its at, then sadly, i would have lost any respect i had left for him, after i lost most of it for how he treated Leeds, the club that helped make him the superstar he became. When this World Cup is over, the facts are that Harry will become part of Austrlian Football History because this is the end of the road for him, Internationally Football speaking. If he really believes he is the reason why Australian Football is today where it is, (which is only slightly better than where it was 20 years ago imo), then he will come back to Australia, and help raise the profile of the game nationally in Australia and get the A-League to where the J-League is in Japan or where the MLS League is in the US. Sadly, Harry is a money hungry person who only cares about himself again in my opinion, and the sooner he retires, the sooner we can start looking to the future of the SOCCEROOS because to be honest, after this World Cup when most our squad will be past its use by date, im struggling to put 11 names who will start in the next World Cup qualifiers to get us to the next World Cup which tells me, weve actually gone backwards, and not forwards but hey, thats just my opinion

[Stitch This]

......the sooner we can start looking to the future of the SOCCEROOS because to be honest, after this World Cup when most our squad will be past its use by date, im struggling to put 11 names who will start in the next World Cup qualifiers to get us to the next World Cup which tells me, weve actually gone backwards, and not forwards but hey, thats just my opinion

I hate it when you make sense

[Lumper]

Harsh but fair.

There's always two sides to a story afterall. Sounds like Mike C has had a gutful of the myth that is Harry Kewell and was simply saying his piece.

Im with Lumper on this admin, sorry to say. The truth is the truth and the truth is that credit should go to Harry Kewell for 'HELPING" raise Australian Football admin, not all by himself i might add. You see, Football is a team game and it takes teams to win as it takes teams to lose. As far as i see it (and i loved the way Harry played the game when he was at Leeds), Harry is living off his years gone by. He needs to be accountable for the "now", not the "then". You are only as good as your last performance and they have been very few and far between, when he is actually on the park of course. If Harry thinks he himself is the only reason why Australian Football is where its at, then sadly, i would have lost any respect i had left for him, after i lost most of it for how he treated Leeds, the club that helped make him the superstar he became. When this World Cup is over, the facts are that Harry will become part of Austrlian Football History because this is the end of the road for him, Internationally Football speaking. If he really believes he is the reason why Australian Football is today where it is, (which is only slightly better than where it was 20 years ago imo), then he will come back to Australia, and help raise the profile of the game nationally in Australia and get the A-League to where the J-League is in Japan or where the MLS League is in the US. Sadly, Harry is a money hungry person who only cares about himself again in my opinion, and the sooner he retires, the sooner we can start looking to the future of the SOCCEROOS because to be honest, after this World Cup when most our squad will be past its use by date, im struggling to put 11 names who will start in the next World Cup qualifiers to get us to the next World Cup which tells me, weve actually gone backwards, and not forwards but hey, thats just my opinion

Very articulate Col. Couldn't have put it better myself. Spot on, I reckon you nailed it

[Steve#4]

Word of advice....Please use paragraphs.....As much as I agree with what you said Farrkk it was hard to read

Almost threw in a "TLDR"

[reflex]

Was Mike Cockerill referee in last nights game v Ghana?

[Ronnie#10]

Fair call Cockerill. Seems like this has been going on for a while & obviously he's had a gutsful.

IMO I don't think Harry has been the same player since he left Leeds United. He was brilliant there. He did stuff all at Liverpool (when he actually played) & apart from scoring against Croatia in the 2006 World Cup to get us a draw I think he's done stuff all elsewhere.

His send off against Ghana was harsh that's a given (yellow at worst) but the fact is he was sent off & he'll miss our next game against Serbia so what has he done in the 4 years since the last World Cup???

[Chade]

His send off against Ghana was harsh that's a given (yellow at worst)...

You just lost credibility there.

[ADEL.GOONERS]

at the end of the day he has played 25 minutes in this world cup , and at the momment it looks to be about all he will play

[Judge Judy]

got to laugh at all the Aussies saying it wasn't a red card

[jimbo]

Mate, I'm as Aussie as they come. It WAS a red card!

[Judge Judy]

Mate, I'm as Aussie as they come. It WAS a red card!

well my post wasn't directed at you then