Harry Kewell named Socceroos’ best ever
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Harry Kewell has been named Australia’s greatest ever footballer at a gala ceremony in Sydney. Kewell was awarded the honour following a long-running process involving fans, players and pundits.
The Greatest Ever Australian Footballer awards also named the nation’s greatest players by position and Kewell was joined by several teammates of the Socceroos’ `golden generation’ in the greatest ever Australian team.
Current No.1 Mark Schwarzer was named Australia’s best goalkeeper while captain Lucas Neill, Everton star Tim Cahill and retired defender Craig Moore were also named in the greatest side.
All featured at the last two FIFA World Cup finals while Mark Viduka, who competed at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, was also included.
The late Johnny Warren, striker Ray Baartz, Alan Davidson, Ned Zelic and Joe Marston – the first Australian to compete in an FA Cup final – were also in the team but there were no members that represented the Socceroos prior to 1947.
Kewell is in the UK and was not present to collect the honour in front of many current and former greats but described it as “an incredible honour”.
“I’m humbled by the award and very grateful, especially given that the public have had such a say in the final result and the number of great footballers this country has produced over the years,” the former Leeds, Liverpool, Galatasaray and Melbourne Victory attacker said.
“To be named amongst such great players in the greatest ever Australian team, both past and current, is something I will never forget.”
More than 15,000 public votes were cast during the selection process, while a panel of current and former players, administrators and commentators also helped determine the winner.
Matildas captain Cheryl Salisbury was named Australia’s greatest female player while the greatest coach went to Dutchman Guus Hiddink, who guided the Socceroos to the knockout stage of 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Funds raised by the event were to benefit the Johnny Warren Football Foundation.
© AAP 2013Greatest ever Australian team (4-3-3): Mark Schwarzer (gk), Lucas Neill, Joe Marston, Craig Moore, Alan Davidson, Johnny Warren, Ned Zelic, Tim Cahill, Ray Baartz, Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka.
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- football, Harry Kewell, Socceroos
July 13th 2012 @ 7:25am
Punter said | July 13th 2012 @ 7:25am | Report comment
HK, love or hate him, without a doubt the greatest footballer Australia has ever produced.
July 13th 2012 @ 8:08am
MV Dave said | July 13th 2012 @ 8:08am | Report comment
It was a privilege just to see some glimpses of H playing for the mighty MV last season. A couple of his runs down the wing were breath taking…particularly the one where he hit the cross bar after beating 3-4 defenders!
July 13th 2012 @ 8:15am
Johnno said | July 13th 2012 @ 8:15am | Report comment
it just had to be Harry.
July 13th 2012 @ 9:15am
Aljay said | July 13th 2012 @ 9:15am | Report comment
Without a doubt the best footballer Australia has ever produced, but only on club form. Not sure if this award was purely on national team performances (the article suggests it is), but if that is the case then I would think his club career has coloured people’s opinion of his contribution in the national jersey. Lots of abililty in the first half of his career, lots of commitment to the national team cause in the second, but the two only came together on a few wonderous occasions.
That one brilliant half against England in 2003 was the most dominant performance I can recall a National Team player producing.
July 13th 2012 @ 10:58am
Ian said | July 13th 2012 @ 10:58am | Report comment
can’t say i disagree Aljay…..before any rushed responses i think HK is a great player , one of the best and great to have him in the a-League for a season. i think he may be technically the best player ever and he has played for australia – so therefore he is the best ever for australia. i’m not an expert but if there was a thorough analysis of all players in their respective positions who has played best for australia consistently. to refresh HK is great, just my opinion.
it would have been good if he could have accepted the award in person. but his family matters are a priority.
July 13th 2012 @ 11:09am
Fussball ist unser leben said | July 13th 2012 @ 11:09am | Report comment
From all accounts it was a great night and, judging by the heated debate on Twitter this morning, these sort of events are essential to the continual evolution of AUS football.
I had Bresciano, Crino, Ivanovic, Farina & Okon in my team. But, like anyone under the age of 45, I’ve had limited exposure to Ray Baartz, Joe Marston & Johnny Warren but I’ve heard the stories and there’s not doubting their football credentials.
July 15th 2012 @ 8:22am
Bondy said | July 15th 2012 @ 8:22am | Report comment
Fussball I know The Cattery’s sneaking around ,he’s patterns here would have meant that he would have to be in hospital with no access to the net for him to stop posting here,he is the heaviest user here at this site.
July 15th 2012 @ 9:16am
Punter said | July 15th 2012 @ 9:16am | Report comment
Bondy, just bring up another WC bid & The Cattery, Mister Football, Pippinu will reappear, but yes I’m sure he is about in some of his many guises.
July 15th 2012 @ 9:28am
Fussball ist unser leben said | July 15th 2012 @ 9:28am | Report comment
Yes, lads, as we know The Cattery has more identities than Jason Bourne & we should start a TCC (The Cattery Cup) for the 1st person to correctly identify his new guise.
My TC identity-meter has picked up certain similarities between GCS & TC. Just like TC, GCS is a parochial AFL-fan, but finds time to be a prolific poster on the football forum!
And, GCS’s arrival on The Roar seems to have coincided with the ignominious departure of The Cattery from The Roar. Coincidence?
July 15th 2012 @ 10:37am
Bondy said | July 15th 2012 @ 10:37am | Report comment
Yes gcs is suspicious.
July 16th 2012 @ 4:26pm
Bondy said | July 16th 2012 @ 4:26pm | Report comment
Very interseting Fuss @ Punter i’ve just checked the K Hunt story on the AFL tab theres a guy there feverishly working away called gcs ,he’s pattern appears to be similar to The Cattery. Thats another thing I couldnt work out with him he’d always play down the media deal ,but the even stranger thing I found is that he did all the Victory live scores here which i’m still scratching my head about.
July 16th 2012 @ 5:47pm
Brick Tamlin of the Pants Party said | July 16th 2012 @ 5:47pm | Report comment
I made a few comments on how Socceroos fans were leading the way in this country as far as supporting our nation abroad at big tournaments awhile back on another topic and GCS(gold coast suns?)took quite the exception saying blokes have been going on Ashes tours for years and i should get over myself!I didn’t know the cricket team was getting 15,000+ Aussies following them around England at the Ashes,more like 150.
July 17th 2012 @ 10:06am
BigAl said | July 17th 2012 @ 10:06am | Report comment
Fussball’s Gestapo strikes again !
July 17th 2012 @ 1:05pm
Bondy said | July 17th 2012 @ 1:05pm | Report comment
Hi mate.
July 17th 2012 @ 9:22am
GCS said | July 17th 2012 @ 9:22am | Report comment
Comrades
I wish to state unequivocally that I neither deny or confirm the said accusation.
July 17th 2012 @ 5:37pm
apaway said | July 17th 2012 @ 5:37pm | Report comment
Fuss
Ray Baartz’s story is amazing. Hugely talented player who was on his way to the World Cup finals in 1974. Australia played a two match series against Uruguay prior to leaving for West Germany. They drew the first game 0-0, which surprised the Uruguayans. They won the second game 2-0 in Sydney and Baartz was felled by a karate chop by a Uruguay defender (who then had a team mate punch him in the face to make out that he was retaliating) Baartz never played again, suffering partial paralysis from the blow, but he was included in the squad that went to the Socceroos first ever World Cup finals.
Oh, and Harry Kewell? By a country mile…
July 13th 2012 @ 12:36pm
langou said | July 13th 2012 @ 12:36pm | Report comment
In my opinion the greatest footballer we have produced is Mark Schwarzer. Consistent, always willing to play, a match winner, world cup player, good leader and hardly made an error.
I would have loved to have seen my personal favorite Okon in there as well.
July 14th 2012 @ 9:02am
Football Fan said | July 14th 2012 @ 9:02am | Report comment
Agree on Okon, but unfortunately he was injured too often to show how great he was. If he had more luck he’d be top without discussion. The worst miss in the team was no Milan Ivanovic. And Hiddink is the greatest ever coach???
July 16th 2012 @ 9:11pm
Aleks Duric said | July 16th 2012 @ 9:11pm | Report comment
Completely agree that okon had the potential to be number one if his body didn’t betray him…and ivanovic is certainly unlucky to be omitted. He looked ungainly and unathletic, but no one had greater positional sense or a higher IQ
July 14th 2012 @ 10:07am
Bludger said | July 14th 2012 @ 10:07am | Report comment
He did deliver in those big matches, time and time again.
Timmy Cahill not too bad either.
Really, we have a very small international history. Mostly it was just friendly/tests until recently due to the dodgy confederation system which has stifled soccer growth in the south seas for a century.
July 14th 2012 @ 1:04pm
Mattay said | July 14th 2012 @ 1:04pm | Report comment
I think technically, the best footballer we have produced is Mark Viduka by some distance.
His club career should not be overlooked either. At Melb Knights, Zagreb and Celtic, he was a God. No two ways about it. In the Premier League he showed glimpses of what he was capable of, just too inconsistent for me.
His 4 goals for Leeds against Liverpool is one of the great striker’s performances I’ve seen.
Too bad that at International level, he could never really produce. Partly I believe because his role as a lone striker meant he took the brunt of defensive attention.
July 14th 2012 @ 3:30pm
Kevin said | July 14th 2012 @ 3:30pm | Report comment
NED Z .. Best footballer we have produced
July 15th 2012 @ 4:27pm
Brick Tamlin of the Pants Party said | July 15th 2012 @ 4:27pm | Report comment
No complaints here,Harry Kewell is the greatest player to come out of Oz with Viduka a very close second.HK’s performances on the International stage give him the edge over Mark Viduka for me.