Australian football fans have been dealt a significant blow with the news that Harry Kewell is a major doubt ahead of the World Cup in South Africa this summer (125/1 Australia – World Cup 2010 outright).
The Galatasaray forward is reported to have re-injured his groin just days before coach Pim Veerbeek is expected to name his provisional squad on May 11.
The talismanic midfielder-cum-striker has only just returned to action after being out for four months with the problem. However, just two days into his return, he aggreavated the injury and is now expected to miss Galatasaray’s final two games of the season.
Galatasaray assistant coach Johan Neeskens admits that the situation is difficult and hard to predict. He admitted that he doesn’t know whether Kewell will make the World Cup and that the final decision will be up to the player and the doctors within the Australian camp.
Neeskens said: “Stage by stage he got better but then he fell back again. He chose to stop training and take treatment. But sometimes after three or four days, if he stops treatment and starts training again, it comes back again.
“He started again with the team a week ago but now in the second week he got some pain and didn’t feel comfortable. On Tuesday, he stopped again and couldn’t continue the work because it’s too painful.”
Neeskens accepts that his absence will be a major loss for Australia, who are hoping to improve on their achievements in the 2006 World Cup.
In Germany, they finished second in their group and were unfortunate to be knocked out by Italy in the last-16 through a last-minute penalty.
Veerbeek has already set a target of going one better in South Africa and at least reaching the last eight. However, they have been handed a very difficult group which features Germany, Serbia and Ghana. This has forced totesport to make Australia 15/2 to qualify from their group and these odds could lengthen if Kewell’s absence is confirmed.
Only last week, Kewell said that he was ready to lead from the front for the Socceroos after spending most of his career on the left flank.
He said that if Veerbeek had this in mind, he would be comfortable in this position as he played up front for both Liverpool and Leeds United. He said that he relished the added responsibility of playing in the role and that he has the confidence to take it on. He said that before the injury he was fit and scoring goals, and was clearly relishing going to South Africa.
It was also reported in The Daily Telegraph that he was glad to return from his groin injury and that he wanted to improve his fitness going into the World Cup. He said that he was sure he could do this as he was “working hard day and night to get to where I need to be and I’ll be fine for the World Cup”.
Unforuntately for Kewell, his latest setback could significantly dent his match fitness, even if it doesn’t rule him out of the World Cup entirely. His absence will undoubtedly be a bitter blow for Kewell and Australia. The Socceroos are currently 125/1 to win the World Cup but Kewell’s absence could make these chances even more remote.
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