A return to the Socceroos becomes less likely with every passing squad announcement, but still coach Holger Osieck says there is hope for Harry Kewell.
Almost a year after quitting A-League side Melbourne Victory for family reasons, Kewell finally returned to competitive soccer with Qatar club Al-Gharafa in April.
The short stint, which is now over, wasn’t enough to sway Osieck.
“I had a chat with him and I told him why I didn’t select him and he accepted it. That’s a fact,” Osieck said of the former Liverpool star, who was absent from the 26-man squad named on Thursday for the Socceroos’ final three World Cup qualifiers.
“But the door is definitely not closed, that’s a fact as well.”
Kewell indicated to Fox Sports on Wednesday that he wasn’t entirely happy with the conversation.
“He told me that I was not going to be right for these World Cup games. But I am fit – 100 per cent fit – I’ve passed every fitness test and every medical. I have the records to show them, and I just played three games for Al-Gharafa,” the 34-year-old was quoted as saying.
Kewell suggested he was disappointed to be overlooked for Osieck’s recent training camp, which was made up of 11 A-League players and out-of-contract Socceroos captain Lucas Neill.
“He could have had a look at me first hand for two weeks,” Kewell said.
“If he did that then he could say, OK, Harry, you are not going to be right or, actually, you are going to be right and I have a job for you to do.
“I could still do a job for Australia. The only thing I am missing is some match fitness.”
Osieck was unwilling to respond to Kewell’s critique.
“It’s beyond my knowledge, I’m not aware of any comments that he said (publicly),” Osieck said.
“I can just refer to the talk I had to him. I made my position clear and he accepted it.”
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