Harry Kewell can make an impact in Germany providing he avoids injury, his Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez believes.

Kewell is integral to Australia's chances of progression in Germany and will need to be firing on all cylinders if the Socceroos are to overcome group F rivals Japan, Croatia and Brazil.

And Benitez is confident the forward will come good following one of his best seasons at Anfield.

'He had a very good year and I'm sure he can play as well for Australia in the World Cup,' the Liverpool coach said.

'He will be one of their most important players because he has the ability to win games, create goals and score.'

He added: 'He played his part in a much better season for us in the Premiership. Like all of the Liverpool players in Germany, he should go to the World Cup feeling very confident in his ability.'

Kewell scored twice during Australia's 8-1 friendly win over Dutch amateur side VW Kloetings on Saturday, his first outing since the FA Cup final.

He did not feature in the ill-tempered match against Holland last night so that he could rest his problematic groin but he did admit he was confident of playing regularly during the World Cup.

'It's just going through the paces, I wasn't going full strength, but to just go out there, I enjoyed it,' he said of his run-out.

'I've still got about a week until the first World Cup game, so we're working hard, day and night. It's not 100 per cent, but it's getting there. It's done wonders for my confidence. If I could play a little part in Germany, I'd be over the moon.'

There are no superstars in the Socceroos under Guus Hiddink - just the team. But if there is a main man, it's Hiddink himself, writes MICHAEL COCKERILL in Eindhoven. 

AT THE start of a long week, as the media descended on Socceroos' World Cup HQ in leafy Mierlo, a 15-minute drive west of Eindhoven, the first question asked was the most predictable: "Where's Harry?"

He was there, away from prying eyes, or so he thought. Photographers were camped in the bushes surrounding the Mifano Voetbal Club training ground, crouched with their telephoto lenses, capturing images of a lone figure running in straight lines, watched with hawk eyes by his ever-present entourage of physiotherapist Les Gelis and conditioner Anthony Crea.

Thus Harry Kewell became the focus of attention, again. In the first few days, as he worked out on the back fields, he drew the cameras away from the other 26 players working hard under the stern gaze of coach Guus Hiddink. "There he is," the lensmen would cry, and suddenly the scrum rushed away from the main ground to record Kewell's every movement.

Minders tried vainly to run interference, but this was a feeding frenzy. Gradually, though, the subterfuge began to lose its urgency and its meaning. Kewell was improving, and by Wednesday he was out and proud, smiling even, as he returned the gaze. By Thursday, he had joined the main group for a light, and light-hearted, session of foot volleyball. By Friday, he was participating in a full-scale training game, and Harry Watch was officially over. Heaven forbid, some cameramen even left the ground before Kewell. He'd out-lasted his pursuers.

But if the media was obsessed with Kewell - perhaps, masochistically, because he was the only player in the squad who didn't talk to them - he was, in truth, not the story of the week. The real story of Australia's stay in Mierlo was how hard Hiddink was pushing his players. So hard that veterans Tony Popovic and Craig Moore fell off the perch at various stages. Asked about Moore's injury, assistant coach Graham Arnold said: "He's just old". Asked about Popovic, he joked: "He's got 33-year-old calves."

But it wasn't just the veterans who were feeling the pinch. John Aloisi agreed he'd "never worked so hard in a training camp before". Skipper Mark Viduka mimicked quotation marks as he described one session as "light", a broad smile on his face. Even the youngest players in the group took time to catch their breath as the twice-daily routine took its toll.

At the end of a gruelling season with their clubs, the players were being pushed through the pain barrier to get ready for the World Cup. The intensity surprised observers and, indeed, the players. They said it would be worth it, because Hiddink had told them so, and they believed him. But by the end of the week, there was less conviction, and more hope, in their voices.

HARRY Kewell laughed and smiled his way through his latest work-out, completing a series of successful hour-long drills late Tuesday afternoon at Australia's training camp.

It was a radical step up in tempo from earlier in the week to include shuttle runs, step-overs, passing and shooting, with the added hindrance of a restraining harness.

Assistant coach Graham Arnold suggested Kewell will be fit to play in the Socceroos' final warm-up match, against Liechtenstein.

"Harry's not far away," he said. "He's running at 85, 90 per cent. He's maybe one, two days off full training, and it will be great to have him back on board. At the same time, he's missed two weeks of hard, intensive work, so he'll have some catching up to do."

A comeback appearance on Wednesday now looks more likely, with Arnold adding: "We'll want to get him on the field because Liechtenstein is our last hit-out, and Harry has to jell into the side, structurally as well."

Defender Craig Moore limped off the field with a sore knee and sat out the final 30 minutes of training, but should be fine to play against the Dutch on Sunday. "He's just old," joked Arnold.

Kewell left the session at Australia's Mierlo base smiling and waving to several local teenage girls who watched Australia train. He is expected to rejoin his teammates in training tomorrow, although Australia has planned a practice match, against amateur team VV Kloetingen, on that day ahead of Sunday's match against the Netherlands.

Kewell's daily routine consists of breakfast, physiotherapy, lunch, physiotherapy, rest, physiotherapy, dinner, and physiotherapy, broken only by an hour-long run with medical staff.

Team physiotherapist Les Gelis, handling Kewell's comeback, has placed posters of Groundhog Day star Bill Murray in his treatment room to demonstrate the monotony of the recovery program.

While Kewell will be absent, the weekend's matches will provide two more opportunities to decide who starts in goal for Australia.

Zeljko Kalac may start again against the Dutch, if only because he has had little game time this season with his club, AC Milan.

Tony Franken, Socceroos goalkeeper coach, said: "We know that Zeljko has not played much this season and we know what Schwarzer can do. That is a reason why Spider (Kalac) played against Greece. It gave the boss an opportunity to see what he can do.

"The rivalry (between Schwarzer and Kalac) is definitely there. It was there before Uruguay and it's great for the team that we have two or three keepers pushing," Franken said.

��Socceroos assistant coach Johan Neeskens has been offered the assistant role at European champions Barcelona, pushing Football Federation Australia into making a quick decision about his future. While Neeskens, who also has an offer to follow Guus Hiddink to the Russian national team, has made it clear he would prefer to stay with the Socceroos, he wants the FFA to make him an offer within a week.

SOCCER star Harry Kewell's untimely injury could help wife Sheree Murphy score her own goal -- becoming pregnant before the World Cup.

The day before Kewell's groin injury flared, former soap actor Murphy, 30, bemoaned she was keen for a third child, but couldn't find time alone with her husband in the run-up to the Socceroos' games in Germany.

"We will be apart for ages . . . if we are going to make babies, I haven't got much time left," Murphy, mother of Taylor, 4, and Ruby, 3, said.

Kewell has cancelled a trip to Australia for Thursday's MCG clash with Greece.

Talented winger Kewell is undergoing intensive physiotherapy on his injury in the hope he can join teammates at a training camp in Holland next weekend.

Murphy will be under strict instructions not to embarrass him when she hosts a "behind the scenes" World Cup TV diary from Germany.

The bubbly presenter made Kewell's on-field life hell in a recent appearance on I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! by blabbing about his "peachy bum" and stretch marks.

If Kewell does represent Australia, she'll be hoping his appearance doesn't turn into a repeat of what she calls the worst night of her life -- when her injured husband was booed off the pitch in an important final.

"It was the biggest match of his career and his fans turned on him," she said.

Murphy has said Kewell would like two more children, but she isn't sure about two -- she suffers terrible morning sickness.

The devoted wife will cheer for Harry, not England, throughout the World Cup.

"Harry comes first," she said. "I'd much rather Harry came home with a medal for being in a winning team."

Murphy doesn't know any of the Australian wives and will hang out with England star Michael Owen's sister and wife and injured Wayne Rooney's girlfriend, Coleen McLoughlin.

Reports today claim that Liverpool have offered Harry Kewell to Spurs as part of a deal that could see Jermain Defoe move to Anfield.

Spurs boss Martin Jol is in the market for a left-sided midfielder and Rafa is, as we know, looking for a striker.

Recent speculation has suggested that the Liverpool boss is prepared to cull Kewell because of his ongoing injury problems.

Liverpool winger Harry Kewell has told the Socceroos medical staff that he's confident his groin injury will not wreck his hopes of playing for Australia in Kewell will not travel to Australia for Thursday-week's friendly against Greece but looks likely to join the Australia squad at their Dutch training camp on May 27th.

Football Federation Australia high performance manager John Boultbee said: "Our (Manchester-based) physio Les Gelis will see Harry soon and assess the situation.

"Harry's had awful luck in the big finals. Our aim is now to work hard with him and make sure we get him right for Germany."

Australia's opening match is against Japan on June 12th.
Germany next month.

Australia international Harry Kewell says that he wants to stay at Liverpool despite being lined with a move to Valencia.

Reports in Europe are suggesting that Kewell could be on his way to Spain but the former Leeds star doesn�t want to know and he hopes that Liverpool want him to stay.

Kewell told Sky Sports: �You cannot believe everything you see in the papers. If they come to see me and speak to me or speak to the boss hopefully it's all rubbish.

"From my side it is and hopefully from Liverpool's it is as well.|

Kewell has been under fire from critics since his move to Anfield but the Aussie has been in good form over the last few months and Liverpool fans are now seeing a return on their club�s investment.

Harry Kewell proved his fitness for next weekend's FA Cup final, playing a full game as Liverpool rounded off its English Premier League season with a 3-1 win at Portsmouth at the weekend.

Kewell had not played since injuring his groin in the Cup semi-final win over Chelsea, but buried doubts about his availability for the final by playing 90 minutes at Fratton Park.

The Socceroo winger was involved in the build-up to the second goal as Liverpool completed a comfortable win but still finished short of the second place that would guarantee Champions League group-stage participation next season, with Manchester United's win over Charlton leaving Liverpool third.

Middlesbrough rested its Australian trio Mark Viduka, Mark Schwarzer and Brad Jones ahead of this week's UEFA Cup final against Sevilla, and Boro went down 1-0 at Fulham.

Craig Moore completed his season in style, helping Newcastle to a 1-0 win over a makeshift Chelsea.

The clean sheet meant Newcastle had conceded just four goals in Moore's last seven games, after being defensively diabolical for much of the season.

Socceroo Lucas Neill played a full game and Brett Emerton came on as an early substitute at right-back as ten-man Blackburn beat Manchester City 2-0.

By Daniel Kline

WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Both the NBA and the NHL close out the first round of their playoffs. In baseball, you�ve got the Orioles and the Blue Jays, matching up in what has to be one of the biggest questions of the baseball season. One of these teams might hang on to challenge the Yankees and Red Sox, but probably not both, making this early season tilt a little more interesting.

*All times Eastern.

Monday, May 1

NFL Europe, Berlin at Rhein (3 p.m., NFL Network)

Stop arguing about who your team drafted and check in on the sport�s minor league with this mid-afternoon match-up. Though NFL Europe might not get the attention of its big brother, the league offers a good chance to figure out which back-up players might break through come the fall.

Tuesday, May 2

Yankees at Red Sox (7:05 p.m., DirecTV, regional)

Every Yankees versus Red Sox match-up gets covered like a playoff game in Boston and New York, so expect tempers to flare in this tilt. The Sox have had the early season advantage, but that�s nothing new, as the Sox always have a division lead in the Summer � the question is whether they can hold it in the Fall.

Wednesday, May 3

Boxing (9 p.m. ESPN2)

Sharmba Mitchell takes on Jose Luis Cruz in a 10-round welterweight tilt. Cruz plays the role of the fighter on the way up, taking on former two-time champion Mitchell, who wants one more shot at the gold. Mitchell was knocked out in the sixth round in his last fight, but that was against Floyd Mayweather � one of the best in the division � so he�s aiming to prove that was a fluke and knock Cruz off the ladder of contention.

Thursday, May 4

Wachovia Open (4 p.m., USA)

A Tiger-less field should leave this one pretty wide open. Vijay Singh attempts to repeat as champion, a title he took last year in a three-way playoff with Sergio Garcia and Jim Furyk.

Friday, May 5

College Volleyball (Midnight, ESPN2)

Catch the men�s semifinal of the NCAA men�s volleyball tournament. This might be your last chance to see some of your favorite players before they turn pro and head out on the lucrative men�s volleyball tour.

Saturday, May 6

Kentucky Derby (6 p.m., NBC)

Horse racing only matters three times a year to the average fan, but the Kentucky captures the best of the sport. Because it�s the first Triple Crown race, every Derby winner stands the chance of being the first horse to bring home racing�s most elusive prize since Affirmed in 1978.

Sunday, May 7

Premier League Soccer (5 p.m., FOXESP)

Two of the big powers in the Premiership face off as Newcastle battles Chelsea in an attempt to cut into Chelsea�s overall lead in the standings. Chelsea did just fall in the FA Cup semifinal, but their big lead in the regular season standings makes clinching the title almost inevitable.

Daniel Kline�s book �50 Things Every Guy Should Know How To Do� is available in bookstores nationwide. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com.

Bet the Board @ WagerWeb.com Sportsbook - Click here to view live odds

Doubts remain over the fitness of Socceroos star Harry Kewell after he was left out of the Liverpool squad for their 3-1 win over Aston Villa in the English Premier League.

Kewell, who suffered a recurrence of a groin injury in the previous weekend's FA Cup semi-final win against Chelsea, was not included in the 16 for the match despite Liverpool still pushing to finish second and gain automatic qualification for the Champions League group stage next season.

The chances of that happening remain remote but still possible as Manchester United - currently second - was beaten 3-0 at Chelsea meaning the teams are now locked on points but United have a game in hand and a better goal difference.

Mark Schwarzer missed Middlesbrough's 1-0 home defeat by Everton as he recovers from a fractured cheekbone while Mark Viduka was rested as the club tries to nurse his thigh strain through to next month's UEFA Cup final.

Australian Brad Jones stood in for Schwarzer in the Boro goal and held Everton out until the 89th minute when he raced out to confront James McFadden, who calmly chipped the ball over his head for the winner.

Tim Cahill was missing for Everton due to a knee ligament injury that has him in a race against time to be fit for the World Cup.

There was better news for the Socceroos defence as Craig Moore again played a full match for Newcastle as the Magpies drew 0-0 at Birmingham in a result that relegated Steve Bruce's men.

And Lucas Neill also played the full 90 minutes as Blackburn won 2-0 at Charlton.

That win meant Rovers now need only two points from their remaining two games to guarantee a berth in next season's UEFA Cup Championship.

Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is in no doubt for the World Cup Championship  and could be back in action in a couple of weeks, his agent says.

Schwarzer was to undergo an operation on a broken cheekbone suffered in Middlesbrough's FA Cup semi-final loss to West Ham on the weekend.

The injury threw his June World Cup participation into doubt but his agent Barry Silkman said there was no chance of his being out that long and he could push for a berth in the UEFA Cup final on May 10.

"The worst-case scenario is he'll be back in training in two weeks," Silkman said.

"It's a very straightforward operation and the doctor says he can't see him being out of training any more than two weeks."

"If (Middlesbrough) get through to the UEFA Cup final he may still be able to make it."

If Boro is to make that UEFA Cup final, it must overturn a 1-0 deficit to Steaua Bucharest in the semi-final second leg on Thursday (Friday morning AEST).

Fellow Australian Brad Jones will deputise in goal for Schwarzer and Boro is hopeful Socceroos captain Mark Viduka will be ready to resume from a thigh injury that kept him out of the FA Cup semi-final.

Schwarzer's better-than-expected prognosis means he should retain his hold on the Socceroos number one jersey for the World Cup ahead of Milan's Zeljko Kalac and Hammarby's Ante Covic, with Jones and Wigan's John Filan among the back-up options.

Harry Kewell is also expected to be fit for the Cup despite suffering a groin injury on the weekend, a reminder of the injury that blighted his past two seasons.

A source close to Kewell said his premature departure from Liverpool's FA Cup semi-final win over Chelsea was "a precaution", saying it was "a minor strain" and that the Socceroos star will become just the fourth Australian to play in an FA Cup tournament final.

Skipper Steven Gerrard will be back to lead Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea at Old Trafford, having been rested with a slight hamstring strain for the win at Blackburn last weekend.

Boss Rafael Benitez is without the cup-tied Robbie Fowler, and is expected to bring back striker Peter Crouch, who was also rested at Ewood Park.

It is likely that John Arne Riise will revert to left-back while Harry Kewell should return on the left, with Gerrard expected to play on the right.

Eidur Gudjohnsen is ill and will not play for Chelsea in tomorrow's FA Cup semi-final.

Michael Essien is also nursing a knee injury, giving Jose Mourinho a selection problem in midfield.

Petr Cech expects to be fit after limping out of Monday's win against Everton with a cut knee but Mourinho will probably stick with his regular FA Cup goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini.

IF Australia are to cause a surprise on their return to the World Cup Championship Finals after 32 years, they will need their talisman Harry Kewell to be fit and firing on all cylinders. 

The gifted winger has battled injury in recent football seasons but was thrown into the fray by Socceroos coach Guus Hiddink in November 2005 and had a blinder in helping his country oust Uruguay to book their ticket to Germany. 

The match marked a long and painful route back for the wily winger, nicknamed the 'Wizard of Oz� when he broke down in the Champions League Toutnament final, coming off before Liverpool bulldozed past AC Milan and lifted their fifth European crown. 

Six months ago,the football player Harry Kewell was one of English soccer's most maligned players. Injuries had curtailed his appearances over three seasons with Liverpool and, when he did make it on to the park, he looked only a shadow of the player who had created such a name for himself at Leeds.

The nadir came in May last year, on that remarkable night when Liverpool came back from 3-0 down against the mighty AC Milan soccer club to claim their fifth European Cup tournament. Kewell limped out of the game inside the first 20 minutes, his groin torn and his Liverpool career seemingly in tatters. The chatrooms and fan sites were full of experts telling Reds' manager Rafa Benitez to offload the perennial under-performer to anyone who would take him.

26/02/2006: Liverpool 1-0 Man City: Harry Kewell grabbed only his second goal of the season to give Liverpool a 1-0 victory against 10-man Manchester City at Anfield today.

Kewell struck just before half-time, firing across David James into the corner after a fine through ball from Steven Gerrard.

City were reduced to 10 men early in the second half when Joey Barton received a second yellow card for an ugly late challenge on Sami Hyypia.

The win took the Reds level on points with second-placed Manchester United, who have played a game less.

The home side, who lost Xabi Alonso with a cut head after a first-half clash with Barton, dominated the opening period and seconds before the break Peter Crouch saw a header cleared off the line by full-back Danny Mills.

City were much improved after the break and sub Bradley Wright-Phillips and Trevor Sinclair both drew fine saves from Jose Reina.

At the other end James was at full stretch to touch a Crouch effort on to the bar.

Bolton came from behind to beat Fulham 2-1 at The Reebok and ensure there was no European hangover from their UEFA Cup exit in midweek.

The Trotters were licking their wounds after losing to Marseille on Thursday night, while Chris Coleman's Cottagers were in buoyant mood after thumping West Brom 6-1 in their last game.

With that in mind, Fulham flew out of the traps with Heidar Helguson rattling the crossbar with a left-footed effort after just two minutes.

Tony Warner had stepped between the sticks for the visitors after Antti Niemi suffered an injury warming up - and the keeper saw Bruno N'Gotty's overhead kick sail over the bar.

Fulham broke the deadlock on 22 minutes when Helguson headed home Simon Elliott's free-kick from close range - and Kevin Nolan's goal was ruled out for offside a minute later.

The equaliser came on the stroke of half-time, though, when N'Gotty's header sparked a goalmouth scramble which saw Helguson turn the ball into his own net.

The hosts were visibly lifted after the break and skipper Nolan bagged the winner on 68 minutes when he brushed off Zat Knight, skipped past Carlos Bocanegra and lashed a vicious low shot past Warner.