By JOHN EDWARDSLast updated at 23:48pm on 28th February 2008
Harry Kewell is doing extra training with Liverpool reserves in a last, desperate bid to earn another contract at Anfield.
The injury-plagued Australia winger is out of contract at the end of the season and has little chance of another deal at his current £70,000 a week after making only nine starts and failing to last 90 minutes in any of them this season.
He is hoping to negotiate a pay-as-you-play extension and has spoken to manager Rafa Benitez in an effort to win over the Liverpool boss.
Benitez confirmed: "It is true that Harry came to see me and that it was his idea to do extra training with the reserves to build up his fitness. He has a professional mentality and his approach is very positive. He must carry on working hard and making sure he is ready for any opportunity, but I have no problem with him at all."
Kewell, signed from Leeds for £5million by former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier, faces an uphill task to stay at Anfield beyond this season after making only one appearance as substitute in the past month.
But he pushed his claims for a recall by scoring the second goal in Liverpool reserves' 2-0 win over Manchester United.
"He is a typical Aussie who doesn't know the meaning of giving up," said a close friend.
"There have been approaches from other clubs, but his only interest is winning over Benitez and staying at Anfield."
The injury-plagued Australia winger is out of contract at the end of the season and has little chance of another deal at his current £70,000 a week after making only nine starts and failing to last 90 minutes in any of them this season.
He is hoping to negotiate a pay-as-you-play extension and has spoken to manager Rafa Benitez in an effort to win over the Liverpool boss.
Benitez confirmed: "It is true that Harry came to see me and that it was his idea to do extra training with the reserves to build up his fitness. He has a professional mentality and his approach is very positive. He must carry on working hard and making sure he is ready for any opportunity, but I have no problem with him at all."
Kewell, signed from Leeds for £5million by former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier, faces an uphill task to stay at Anfield beyond this season after making only one appearance as substitute in the past month.
But he pushed his claims for a recall by scoring the second goal in Liverpool reserves' 2-0 win over Manchester United.
"He is a typical Aussie who doesn't know the meaning of giving up," said a close friend.
"There have been approaches from other clubs, but his only interest is winning over Benitez and staying at Anfield."
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utusanLFC :
I remember the week when it was confirmed that Harry is on his way to be a Kop... I waited and I browsed the internet every 2 hours just to know that he is safely in Anfield. The anxiety over his transfer topped it all with the so-called scandal when it appeared that he got 2 mil pounds out of the 5 mil he commanded for the transaction. Still, I don't really mind. To me, Harry is a Liverpool player and that's the most important thing. However, as time passes... Harry Kewell seems to be more like Harry Houdini. He slowly disappear from the pitch either because of his injury or was not chosen in the starting line-up (most of it caused by injury though). And magnificently, he still picked by Rafa to play in the finals of Istanbul (which he dreadedly injured himself again...) And so now, with our settle wingers in Pennant, Benayoun and even Babel (he is actually better off to be one of our forwards)... Kewell seems to be not that important anymore... or is it? He has to raise his game. And still hope he can show his best abilities like he did when he was in Leeds.
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