F-B-F.org -

But Jose Mourinho has won the daily battle to drag him off the practice ground, and the next best thing is talking about it; first to his mates in the changing room, then almost as enthusiastically to the assembled media representatives.”When we talk about it [today's Carling Cup final against Liverpool] someone says, ‘Imagine what it would be like to be running round Cardiff and lifting the trophy, and what it’s like afterwards and who’s going where in the line if we win it’. They have big cars, posh houses, the latest gadgets and designer gear; but mercifully, there are still some Premiership footballers for whom the game’s the thing, and Chelsea’s Joe Cole is one of them. Hoping to play in his first major cup final this afternoon, he is like a little lad waiting for Christmas.
In a cavernous dome at the club’s new training centre, sitting by the side of a full-sized artificial pitch, you can almost see his feet twitching at the sight of a football and the empty goal-nets. I haven’t even been to the World Cup finals yet, so there’s so much I haven’t done, so much I haven’t achieved. I think it’s about time I started doing it.”He and Liverpool both.. Before Tuesday’s triumph, a Gerrardless Liverpool was so obviously a rudderless Liverpool, and Kewell admits he is relieved the omnipotent one is back to be everywhere in Cardiff. It’s days like these Kewell signed up for at Anfield, ignoring reported offers from Old Trafford and, yes, Stamford Bridge when Roman Abramovich first arrived with his golden chequebook.

And although he accepts “our main priority remains the Premiership”, an indication of the importance Kewell is attaching to his first final is the sentimental fact that he has flown in his mother and father all the way from Sydney to witness it.”The closest I’ve come to a major final before is that Champions’ League semi-final with Leeds when we were beat by Valencia. It’s going to be a fantastic game between two great sides; all guns blazing, go for it I’m just thrilled to be a part of it. As a “one-club” boy who moved away from the team he had played for since a trainee, Kewell feels well qualified to discuss the dilemma. “Yeah, it’s hard when you’ve been at a club for so long to make that decision I grew up in Leeds and it was terribly difficult to leave.

But everyone is entitled to make their own decisions and sometimes you need a change, a different atmosphere, a different challenge.”If that sounds as if Kewell is happy to show his team-mate the way south, he isn’t. “If you look at my career you will see that I’ve had about six managers in the last four years. What I’d obviously like is a bit of stability and to work with the same manager for a while But this season has been a revelation. Rafa’s come in with new ideas, new tactics, new fitness programmes, new strength workouts – which is fantastic, because I love all that. He’s brought in more than one or two good players, too, and if you ignore all the injuries we’ve had and look at the depth of our squad, there aren’t many managers who wouldn’t envy it.”Jose Mourinho, of course, is an exception, although Steven Gerrard is believed to be in his basket, never mind on his shopping list, and today may take him another step closer to the checkout. You might be 100 per cent for the first game of the season, but from then on every player is carrying knocks. When you cross the white line you’re declaring yourself 100 per cent fit, and although it is really frustrating that you aren’t, but all the fans think you are, you’ve got to give it your best.”Except his manager is not expecting Harry’s “A” game, just something approaching it.

And in the meantime, what his club most want him to do is be the Harry Kewell they signed for £5m in the Elland Road “everything must go” sale 18 months ago. But it also shows how good a manager we’ve got, because to bring in a player of Fernando’s quality in mid-season is phenomenal.”Indeed, for a player renowned for warbling the blues, it is surprising to find Kewell so intent on singing the praises of his leader. “You can tell how good he is because when there were rumours he was coming here, almost every other club moved in to nab him. And with Fernando Morientes “a dream acquisition” in Kewell’s eager eyes, you could almost see him drooling over the prospect of crossing that ball in for the towering Spaniard at the Welsh capital’s citadel.”It’s a real asset that we’ve now got a big target man who can outjump a lot of defenders and head the ball,” he said. After all, 80 per cent of Harry Kewell is better than 130 per cent of me.”Such unerring faith is likely to manifest itself today in Kewell’s placement on his favoured left wing, with the ever-flexible John Arne Riise being shifted into a defensive role. He played in Tuesday’s Champions’ League win against Bayer Leverkusen and played well.