‘Cahill shades Kewell as our greatest’

From Leeds to Melbourne, Harry Kewell's career in football has had many turning points, but the former Socceroo will be able to look back on his time in the game with incredible fondness.

Two of Australia's greatest ever Socceroos Harry Kewell and Tim Cahill. Source: AFP

HERE'S a thought: Why don't we make Harry Kewell joint Asian Cup ambassador with Alessandro Del Piero next year.

It would be the perfect way for fans to farewell Harry and it would honour an Australian born champion who surely ranks as the most gifted player we have produced.

As for the greatest Socceroo, I'd have to put Kewell and Tim Cahill in the grand final — and perhaps Timmy shades it because he's the country's leading goalscorer and will be going to a third straight World Cup.

Harry Kewell has credited each of the major clubs he has played for over a glittering career as he announced he will retire from the game at the end of the A-League season.

It's a close call.

However, Kewell belongs in any conversation when discussing Australia's most naturally talented footballers — and that's from any code.

For a boy to go from western Sydney, play for his country at 17, do what he did in England with Leeds and play at two World Cups deserves to be recognised.

Injuries slowed him down late in his career, but the enduring memories of Kewell will be the pace, power and balance of his runs down the left for Leeds and Australia.

Socceroos attacker Tim Cahill has paid tribute to countryman Harry Kewell who announced his retirement from the game on Wednesday, insisting the winger has been instrumental in the rise of Australian football.

For much of his career, he was the one Aussie player rival nations feared.

That's why he has earned the right to be paraded around the country in a prolonged victory lap in January when the Asian Cup kicks off.

Having Del Piero as tournament ambassador seems a strange fit.

We all know he's a brilliant player — one of the greatest of all time — but his best work was done in Europe with Juventus and on the world stage with Italy.

Ambassador for the Champions League? Maybe.

In contrast, Kewell played in the last Asian Cup final, he helped put Australian football on the world map and he's a Socceroo great.

Australian football great Harry Kewell calls an end to his football career, saying it is time for the next chapter in his life

We probably can't undo the Del Piero role now, but we can make Harry a large part of the celebration.

Kewell has always been his own man, deeply private away from football which can sometimes be mistaken for aloofness.

But what we saw last Wednesday was Kewell with the shutters down, giving fans a rare glimpse of his life away from the game as he reflected on retirement with his kids nearby.

I thought Kewell handled the announcement with class and humility. He didn't wait to be tapped on the shoulder, he didn't leave Ange Postecoglou with the emotional decision of leaving him out.

Harry Kewell of the Heart and Josh Mitchell of the Jets contest the ball. Source: Getty Images

He walked away for the good of the Socceroos.

It was an example to some other players who keep raging against the dying of the light rather than face the inevitable and move on.

I just hope Kewell gets to play against Western Sydney Wanderers and is given the send off he deserves from Melbourne Heart fans. And the FFA then ensures he's not lost to our game after that.

The Asian Cup would be a good place to start. If you look beyond the World Cup, being crowned the best team in Asia early next year would be the best gauge of where the national team is heading.

Robbie Slater says Tim Cahill edges Harry Kewell as our greatest Socceroo. Source: Getty Images

Only the eternal optimist would think we can qualify in Brazil against the likes of Chile, Holland and Spain. The Asian Cup is different, it's a tournament we should expect to win. South Korea will be a difficult assignment and we have played against Oman and Kuwait enough to know what to expect from them.

Kuwait are interesting. They are now coached by Brazilian Jorvan Vieira, who won the 2007 Asian Cup with Iraq and will be coming to get us.

While the leading Asian nations all point to the Socceroos as favourites, they also know we are a team in transition and will be looking to take advantage of that.

The World Cup will be spectacular, as it always is, but I can't wait for the Asian Cup.

It will be exciting to see how much our young players have grown from the experience of facing the world's best players in Brazil. It will represent the next chapter of Australian football.

And what better way to mark the occasion than having Kewell on hand to officially pass the torch to Tommy Rogic and the new generation.

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