It could be strongly argued that Australia's finest striker is the one who has been hugging the left touchline for the past 13 years of his green and gold career.

While Socceroo stalwart Harry Kewell has become defined by his flying winger act for so many years, time has moved the goal posts for the 31-year old and a more suitable role in the centre of the attack is now being strongly touted.
Reinvention can add years to a player's career. There is no better, or more closely aligned, example of this than looking at one Kewell's left-wing counterpart - the evergreen Ryan Giggs.

The 36-year old Manchester United legend, once a pacey left winger like Harry, has enjoyed a rebirth over the last few seasons by changing his game to a more central role. Experience and craft, further assets similar to our man, ensure a less mobile, but equally vital role up top for Giggs.

And while Harry personally might enjoy the move to the front of the attack, it could also be the Socceroos' need that will ensure the transformation happens.

Pim's locked-in 4-2-3-1 formation places great importance on the lone front man and the reasons to place Harry in that striker role are numerous.

As well as Harry's aforementioned requirement to change his game into a more static role, you also have his wealth of international experience - a necessary requirement to succeed at a World Cup for any team. Add in the need to accommodate the midfield trio of Bresciano, Cahill and Emerton, and the case to turn our flying winger into our World Cup striker becomes further compelling.

FourFourTwo spoke to Harry on the phone from Europe to discuss if he is the man for the vital Socceroso striker role, how his rich run of goal scoring in Turkey is helping his case and taking on the best in South Africa.

Your season has been interrupted by injury at present but how had you been fairing up to that point?
Great for me, I can't complain. I've played 27 games and scored 14 goals. That's not bad especially as I only started to play upfront in the last few games. Things are going well for me over here and I'm enjoying it.

How is it working with the Dutch coaching staff at Galatasaray - Frank Rijkaard & Johan Neeskens? You can't seem to escape their influence as an Aussie...
They are the perfect managers for me. The way they go about playing football is exactly how I want to play and exactly how I'd teach football. That's why I'm playing good football at the moment. I'm enjoying playing at the moment, it's fun. They get your mind and touch working everyday and that's just great.

The last time we spoke you were talking about being moved all around the pitch, even in defence. Are you happier with your role now?
I only played in defence as we were so limited in numbers at the time. I'm not a defensive player. I played at left-wing back for Leeds United once on my debut and after the game I was told I wouldn't be playing in that position again and that I should be upfront. I've been playing on the left, right and upfront at Galatasaray. We have good players who can play in a range of positions. That does mean you always have to be on your toes to keep your spot in the team.

There was talk recently of you leaving Galatasaray because of Turkey's foreign player rule...
No comment.

No comment?
They are very passionate people over here. Sometimes they say things before realising what they are saying. I love them to bits, they are a great club and very professional. If I was going to be out [injured] for a while there could have been a chance [of me leaving]. I love this club and the fans made it clear about what their feelings were and it has all worked out for the best. I'm glad I'm a Galatasaray player until the end of the season.

Was it that fan campaign to keep you the reason it worked out that way?
No, deep down I knew they were trying to restructure ahead of some important games in Europe and they needed all the players possible. If you are playing in all competitions injuries can happen and you need squad depth.

You've gained an Aussie compatriot in Lucas. Did you put in a good word for him!? It must be good to have a teammate at your club side, especially in the lead up to the World Cup finals?
Johan [Neeskens] probably did most of the work to get him here as he worked with him before and knew what he was capable of doing. They did ask me about him and I told them the truth by saying that he's a very good player, he know how the play the game, he can read play very well plus, he's a good talker and motivator. They tried to get him in the summer, but they got their man in the end.

How has Lucas settled during his first set of games?
I feel sorry for him as he was only here two days before I left him there on his own. He's been thrown in the deep end and asked to swim. He's out there learning all the names and players, understanding Turkey. I told him he'll be a better person for going out there and learning for himself.

Has he moved in with you and your physio Les Gelis to create the ultimate Australian lads' pad?!
Hell no! Lucas is here with his family and Les has moved back to Australia for family reasons.

Any plans after the World Cup? There was an interesting story in the papers about you looking for a house in Sydney...
Any plans, yeah, going on holiday! I'm going to take it easy, we have about three weeks off for me to get some sun and relax. My agent told me about a property in Sydney, but we didn't go and look at it or anything.

You're the elder statesmen of the Socceroos now. How have you seen your place in the team evolve?
If you look at the team now, I'm not the oldest but I'm certainly one of the longest standing players. I've seen a change in our football. Before we were just a set of players from good leagues. I've seen that evolve and our opposition now take us more seriously.

Wayne Rooney is interviewed in this issue too and he said when he's attacking with the ball, he doesn't really know what he's going to do, a lot of it is instinct. Is that how you feel?
When I shoot I always try and make the keeper work at least. I hate people that just have snap-shots or shoot for no reason. If you shoot you have to hit the target. If someone is in a better position than you, then you are better off laying it off. But other strikers will say that if you don't shoot, you don't score.

How much has that approach changed as you've matured as a striker?
I was always taught from a very young age that if you were going to have a shot then you have to make it worth it. Don't get me wrong, I've hit a few off target in my lifetime, but I like to hit the target. You may only get one or two chances in a game.

Your versatility allows you to play a number of roles for the national team. Talk us through how you play each position: First out wide on the left?
That's where I started out, but I'm not getting any younger and the players who play on the wing and at the back can run 100 meters in 11 seconds. It is wiser for me to step into the middle and enjoy the frontline as I can still jump as well as anybody else and still have pace. You learn your best position. You go through your career and eventually round my age you find the right position for yourself. Some players still don't know their best position.

Through the middle, supporting a front man. How do things change for you with that role?
I love that role, but it depends who is playing around you. If I'm the second striker then you probably need a big target man in front of me. Someone I can run off and find little gaps. That's why it worked well at Leeds when I played with Viduka as he could hold the ball up and hold up two or three players which freed me up to find space. It is difficult if you play with two strikers who are too similar as you will both go for the same space.

And finally as a lone striker?
I really like that role, it is a challenge. You still have good players around when you play the role, especially with the Socceroos. You have players running from deep which is very hard for other players to track. I like the hustle and bustle of being the lone striker and if you keep working and working you know you'll get your chance sooner or later.

Which do you like the best? Which suits your style of play?
Up front, either as the lone man or with someone. It is somewhere I can concentrate on and be a lot more effective. It's not to say I don't like the left, even when you play upfront you can drift out to the left.

The 4-2-3-1 system seems to favour the players the Socceroos have now. Do you agree with that?
Yeah, that's true. In that formation your four wide people are very important to create chances and score. It is cat and mouse with the other team as you move up and down the pitch to try and create space. All formations have advantages and disadvantages.

Footballers say familiarity with their teammates is a big key to success. You, Cahill, Bresc and Emerton must know each others games backwards...
It's important that you know what your other players are capable of doing. The four of us all know this about each other which will help at the World Cup.

Could you see yourself being asked to lead the line as that lone striker during the World Cup?
That's a question for the manager to answer. Whatever he decides is what we'll do. Once he's picked his squad he'll determine the starting XI. We also have some young players coming through so Pim's selection is going to be interesting.

If asked to play that role can we assume you're comfortable to do so?
No problem at all. You have to go out there and play whatever role. Sometimes you won't play the position, but it is about the team.

What are your thoughts on the draw? It's dubbed the ‘Group of Death' but really it's no harder than last time around...
It's probably about the same as last time. Germany, Ghana and Serbia might be looking at us thinking, ‘We're going to get the three points off Australia'. That's what everyone thought in the last World Cup. It is going to be difficult, but we will be well prepared and go out there thinking we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Things might be against us, but we are going to enjoy it and prove to the world that Australia can play football.

Will that underdog tag work to our advantage again?
I'm sure it can. It won't work to the same extent as it did four years ago. Before they knew us individually, but not as a team. Everyone saw how well we did last time, so people will have more information about us.

Do you know much about the teams we're facing in our World Cup group?
That's not my job, that's our trainers' job to go out there and get the information. There is no point me looking at Germany, Ghana or Serbia as things can change. I've never done that, the only time I've ever known about a team is when we're told about them.

Is it a positive that we have Germany for our first game? We might catch them while they're cold...
If you look at recent major events, Germany has always won their opening game quite comfortably. So no, it not a great start. But a World Cup is not about playing easy teams. You want to play the best teams in the world, so let's start with a team like Germany.

Is there any advantage that two of the three opponents play a European style of football, one that most of the Socceroos are familiar with?
Not necessarily. Ghana can beat anyone on their day too. It is all about that day, you can win everything up until the day of a World Cup match and then it doesn't happen for you on the day.

How does this time around differ from 2006? Are we better prepared because of the longer qualifying campaign?
That longer campaign has prepared us a lot better. Instead of those two games to decide if we make a World Cup, that longer process gets us used to playing for three points. You can have a hiccup now and make it up in the next game.

What is a good World Cup for Australia in South Africa?
If we can get through the first round that's positive. It is a difficult group and a lot of teams just want to get through the first round, then anything can happen.

This article appeared in the April 2010 issue of FourFourTwo magazine. To buy back copies of this issue call 03-8317-8121 with a credit card to hand.