Birth Date: Sept 22 1978
Birth Place: Smithfield,
Sydney
Birth Nation: Australia
Height: 181cm
Weight: 80Kg
Nationality: Australian
Position: Forward
A steal of a signing at ?5m in the summer from Leeds United.
Harry Kewell Rumours and Transfers
30 10 2007
Rafael Benitez admits an ideal world would see Robbie Fowler score against his Liverpool side when Cardiff visit on Wednesday, but only if The Reds are 3-0 up.
Fowler will make an emotional return to Anfield during Wednesday's Carling Cup fourth round encounter, where he is guaranteed the warmest of receptions after spending over a decade on Merseyside.
The prolific striker, who has scored six goals in 12 games for Cardiff this season, failed to net on his final appearance at Anfield as he waved goodbye to The Kop for what he thought would be a last time.
Now he gets the chance, albeit in blue colours this time, to net one last time in front of his adoring public, and Benitez admits a small part of him would not mind seeing a Fowler celebration.
"I would like to see him very happy before the game but when it is over I hope he is a little bit disappointed," Benitez told the club's official website.
"After this match, I hope to see him scoring 20 goals and being the top scorer in The Championship. Maybe we can leave him to score a fantastic goal in front of The Kop but at the end of the game we will need to have scored three! The way he played for us, with the injuries he had and at the age he is, was fantastic. He was always joking and was very respectful and professional. I was really pleased with Robbie and you could see that some of the players were learning from his movement and his finishing, which was fantastic."
Benitez is likely to turn to many of his fringe players for Wednesday's match, as he looks to avoid picking up yet more injuries following the losses of Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano.
One man who could make a first team return is Harry Kewell who, like Fabio Aurelio, stands to get some game-time after featuring in the reserves last week.
"It depends on which players are fit,' said Benitez. "Lucas Leiva needs to play, Sebastian Leto needs to play and so does Fabio Aurelio. So I don't know how many players we can use from the reserves, but I know I will also need some of the senior players. Harry Kewell played 45 minutes in the reserves last week and he too needs to play games, so we will see."
13 10 2007
Striker Fernando Torres is set to miss Liverpool's derby clash against Everton next week after picking up muscle tear in his leg.
The Spanish international limped out of training with his country ahead of Saturday's Euro 2008 qualifier in Denmark and Wednesday's friendly in Finland.
And Spain's team doctor Genaro Borras delivered the grim news that Torres has indeed torn a muscle in his right leg which will keep him sidelined for up to ten days.
Reds boss Rafa Benitez now faces the prospect of preparing his squad for the Merseyside showdown at Goodison Park without his record signing, thus realising his fears about losing a number of his best players to international duty.
It is the second injury worry to seven-goal hitman Torres after he hurt his ankle on Wednesday, and no doubt Benitez will hope he can make a rapid recovery in order for him not to miss his first-ever derby showdown in England.
Benitez is also hoping that Harry Kewell will be available for the Everton game after his recovery from a groin injury he suffered playing for Australia at the summer's Asian Cup.
12 10 2007
Harry Kewell is expected to return to full training at Liverpool next week.
The Australia midfielder has not kicked a ball for the Anfield club this season after picking up a groin injury while playing for his country in the Asian Cup in the summer.
It was the latest in a series of injury setbacks for the former Leeds player, but manager Rafael Benitez is now hoping Kewell can prove his fitness and press for a place in the first team squad.
Benitez told Liverpool's official website: "Harry has been working really hard with the physios and next week he could be training or running with the rest of the first team. Harry is very important for us. A player with pace and ability who can score goals is always going to be important."
This could well be the last chance Kewell gets to extend his stay at Liverpool. Several teams were interested in his services during the summer, but Benitez wanted to give the former Leeds winger every chance to prove his value to the club.
But if Kewell fails to establish himself in the squad this time, he is likely to be surplus to requirements at the end of the season.
Despite heavy spending on bringing new wide midfielders to the club in Ryan Babel and Yossi Benayoun, Benitez insists Kewell still has a role to play at Anfield.
He said: "It's clear he's someone with great quality and experience and we need these kind of players for the rest of the season."
Meanwhile, Benitez is keeping his fingers crossed that Fernando Torres does not aggravate an ankle injury when he plays for Spain this weekend.
The Liverpool striker was restricted to just a light training session with his international team-mates earlier in the week, but he is expected to figure in Spain's crucial clash with Denmark on Saturday.
Benitez, who wants the player fit for his first Mersey derby at Everton on Saturday week, added: "It is a risk but I know he wants to play because they have such an important game for Spain."
01 10 2007
Australian star Harry Kewell has been warned by Rafael Benitez that he must prove his fitness before they open contract talks
The winger has struggled with injury since his arrival from Leeds United and he has yet to feature at all this season because of a lack of fitness.
Last term he was restricted to just three cameo appearances at the end of the season after picking up an injury in the World Cup for Australia and Benitez has warned him he must prove his fitness before they even consider a new deal.
Kewell's present contract runs out at the end of this current season and, despite the fact he woiuld like to stay at the club, unless there is a turnaround in his fitness it could be that this is his last season at Anfield.
Benitez said: "I cannot say how long it will be until he is back. He must be fit before we talk about a new deal though."
