Harry, Harry, Harry..... Every time I see a story about football it's about Harry Kewell.
However this is not a bad thing, in fact it's wonderful. Never has there been an off-season in the A-League where there has been so much interest in an off-season in the A-league. Mainstream news outlets are displaying the sort of interest in Kewell's final resting place that they have only shown for football twice in the last eight years.
The media love the Harry persona and his story, from that first coach who spied something special in him.
To that agonising red card in South Africa that stole his World Cup dream. We followed his defining performance at the recent Asian Cup and now the possibility of his homecoming to 'give back' to the Australian game. Harry has been Australian football's face for so long that, however unjustified it may or may not be, he will add credibility to the A-League and the FFA by playing here.
Reading the footballing public's reactions to Harry is also very interesting as some believe he would be the coup of the decade for FFA while others see no potential benefit from Kewell returning to Oz. To those who think that Harry pulling on his chosen shade of blue will do nothing to market the A-League then please re-read paragraph one.
As the Harry circus rolls on keeping forums buzzing and filling column inches a certain celebrity team hit our shores for a three-game tour against Perth, the Mariners and Victory. Perth turned up with a display that probably didn't steel the nerves of many in the Shed but it was Central Coast who finally put a W in Australia's win/lose column versus the SPL giants. This tally now reads;
A-League - 1 : 4 - Celtic
However when read in Victoria
A-League - 1 : 4 - Celtic - 5 - Vic Police.
Yes it was a low blow from their media department to 'tweet' live eviction updates at the 'sokkah' and somewhat destabilises the work they have done to try show that the department has no bias. Although I must be fair to Victoria Police, in a later drug lab raid they did try to make amends.
There is the olive branch Victory supporters, will you reach out and accept?
Meanwhile the red half of Melbourne had there own groundbreaking news in the off season signing period. When Melbourne Heart burst on to the football scene it was with the promise of playing football for the purist as opposed to that other type of football that wins trophies and stuff. Heart were going to differentiate themselves from Victory in their style of play and seemingly the best way to do this was buy every off-contract player from Sydney FC's double championship winning team. So basically it was a fail....
Now you have to hand it too Heart as they have learnt from their mistakes and have re-affirmed their intent to play pure attractive football that will set them apart from Victory's ugly dirty style. Apparently to be different to Victory you need to sign more former Victory players, namely Mate Dugandzic and Fred.
With the roster of Victory rejects swelling at Heart HQ is it too early to unveil their striking new kit that will be more attractive and purer then those horrible Victory folk.
I hear Victory and Hernandez are having a trial separation which begs the question, what is one more Victory player in Heart colours? It would be a metaphorical slap across Victory's face so I would like to think this could happen. Get onto it van 't Schip.
Finally the last laugh award goes out to Clive Palmer whose Gold Coast United have made a huge move to connect with the Gold Coast public by signing on as the Gold Coast Soccer's major sponsor. The deal will increase the A-League and GCU's exposure throughout the local scene while everyone is forced to play in a competition called the Gold Coast United Premier League.
Will this community engagment translate to bums on seats? We can only hope.
