With the Harry Kewell contract dispute dragging out for far longer than Australian football fans wanted, the FFA has been walking a tightrope between commercial interests and spectators. It is understandable that, in a fledgling sporting competition with few major sponsorship claims, they would be reluctant to do anything that would be seen unfavourably by their major commercial partners.
It's just a pity that the FFA can't see the issue from a fan's perspective. Clearly, there's something going wrong up top because whoever made the decision not to amend the collective bargaining agreement to allow Kewell to pursue competitors' sponsorship opportunities was not thinking about the publicity he would bring to the A-League.
This privilege was granted to Dwight Yorke and Robbie Fowler but for some unknown, illogical reason, the FFA will not budge for Harry Kewell. Why? Surely Harry Kewell is a more worthwhile reason to change their policies than All-Night-Dwight or Fowler, who were only known to those familiar with English football, rather than the average Australian sports fan.
We're not talking about a Craig Moore or a Stan Lazaridis here. Both players, while fantastic internationals in their time, didn't have the star power or glamour factor that Harry Kewell possesses. Even Jason Culina, who has had a few good seasons at Gold Coast United, doesn't have the public profile that Kewell does.
It is plausible that Kewell will be available for the next World Cup. Probable? Depending on the direction his club career takes, I'm not entirely sure, however, he's sure to be involved in the national team for a few years yet, albeit if only as a backup or in Osieck's A-League-based squads. At any rate, having a current or former Socceroo of his standing would do wonders for the public perception of A-League.
But on the image front, Kewell ticks all the boxes. What Australian sports fan doesn't know his name? You'd have to have been living under a rock not to remember the priceless look of joy on his face after scoring against Croatia in Stuttgart. Even the more junior fans would be familiar with him through his recent Socceroos exploits and advertising campaigns.
And - dare I say it - Kewell's legions of female fans would surely be pleased by a return to his native Australia. I can honestly say that I have never walked past the Politix store on Pitt Street (which, for those who don't know, displays large posters of a suave, suit-clad Harry pouting at the passing crowds) without admiring his handsome good looks, as well as his sporting prowess. I'm only human.
I can also confirm that, despite what many hardened football fans might like to think, there are many people out there - male and female - who would go to a football match simply to have a bit of a 'look' at Harry in action. Personally, I've lost track of the number of Socceroos matches I've been at where the people around me have had no interest in the game but are there to check out Tim Cahill ("the guy from the WeetBix ad") or Lucas Neill (I once saw a woman at an Asian Cup qualifier wearing a "Mrs Neill" shirt).
Given the right publicity for away matches (Sydney FC, I'm looking at you), imagine the sort of ticket sales he could attract! And to anyone who read that and thought, "we don't want that kind of person at the football", without drawing in people like that, A-League attendances will continue to be low.
One would hope that Kewell, being offered what is rumoured to be a lucrative contract even without sponsorship deals, would choose the A-League over the Middle East. Asian Champions League competitions have shown us that the standard over there is, generally, no better. But the money sure is. Unfortunately, in the world of football, money talks. With such short careers, it is reasonable for players to command high salaries before their retirement.
The opportunity to have an experienced international with a global reputation playing in the A-League is not something that appears often. But a current Socceroo? A familiar face for thousands of Australians? And a pin-up for many women (and men)?
The FFA has made a seriously un-Kewell move in refusing to let him pursue other sponsorship deals, especially considering such exceptions were granted to Yorke and Fowler. But what they can't have considered is the impact their choice could have on the A-League this season. The benefits of acceding to his management's requests would have raised the league's public profile enormously, drawing in new media interest and, hopefully, new fans.
If Kewell were to sign for Victory after all of this, frankly, it would be a miracle.
