Former Liverpool winger Harry Kewell has returned to his native Australia, joining A-League side Melbourne Victory on a three-year contract.
While he did not dominate global transfer headlines over the summer, Kewell maintains a massive following in his homeland and his long-mooted switch to Melbourne, with rumors first circulating in June, does not come without controversy. The drawn-out negotiations, along with rumors that Kewell’s camp was insisting on large bonuses to be the proverbial "face" of Australian soccer, have caused some fans to question the oft-injured attacker's motives for returning home.
Kewell, who spent the past three seasons playing a prominent role with Turkish club Galatasaray, spoke to reporters after his first training session with the club on Wednesday.
Touching upon his personal expectations, Kewell said, "Out on the park is fun. Whether I play in front of five people or 50,000 people, I am there to entertain and do a job out on the park. I love playing football and I am going to show my teammates and the A-League what I really love about football."
Meanwhile, Kewell acknowledged some drawbacks to his celebrity status.
''I know it's going to be really difficult for me, I know that there's going to be a lot of young hot-blooded people out there who are going to want to do something to me and I know that the refs are going to be against me.''
Perhaps of most interest to Liverpool supporters is the manner in which Kewell discussed his infamous injury history, saying, "A lot of people brand me as this player that has been injured.
"Okay, I had three seasons at Liverpool where I was injured. Not many people realize last year, I played 42 games, so that's probably more than a lot of players all over the world. Even before that, I played over 35.
"It's just when I do miss a game, it kind of becomes public knowledge and everyone seems to want to jump on the bandwagon."
Melbourne had to procure the financial backing of multiple corporate sponsors in order to afford the Socceroo, indicating that the club views Kewell, who turns 33 next week, as a legitimate business investment, not just a high-profile squad member. With that in mind, Kewell's ability to stay on the pitch, something he struggled with throughout his stay on Merseyside, will most likely come to define the transfer.
What do you think? Good move for Harry to return home or should he have stayed abroad? Will Melbourne come to regret investing in the marketable, but fragile star?
