Harry: For me – and this is what I try to get across to the young boys – don’t worry about it. Think of me as a player who you want to take my role off. Because that’s what I did when I first walked into the squad. It wasn’t as if – look I paid them respect – but that was about it. I wasn’t going to travel all the way to South America and not play. I wanted to play. I kinda pushed myself to get out there and play. This is what you’ve got to teach the young kids. You know?

I’m still going to fight for my position but you know, get yourself out there and push yourself to knock me off. And this is the kind of message you want to send to the kids - because that’s what I did.

I’ve spoken with then captain Paul Wade who said you were very quiet back then…

Harry: I think I still am. I’m one of these people who just gets on and does his business. And I am a quiet person. I keep myself to myself and I’m very focused once I come into camp. There’s a role I have to play and that’s what I do.

 

The younger players these days are all aware of the “Kewell Aura” – this sort of mystique and huge public fascination about you. How does that reflect in the way the younger guys approach you now as a senior player?

Harry: Actually the question was asked in this camp, ‘Am I that bad? Am I that bad to come across?’ And some of the boys said, ‘Yeah, because you’re just very focused, you don’t talk much, you just do your thing’.

I don’t know… I had a couple of the young boys knock on my door for signatures when I was sleeping. I wasn’t too happy about that. And they felt that bad.

But I remember in one of my first camps down in London I turned up in the middle of the night, around 11pm and they turned around and said your roommate is already up there. I said, ‘OK’, and remember this is one of my first camps, and I asked who am I rooming with? And they said, ‘Mark Bosnich’. And I said, ‘Oh no!’

How was I supposed to knock in the middle of the night when he’s asleep, this young guy saying I’m going to room with you? So I just sat there and rang from downstairs and went, ‘Mark it’s Harry’. And he said, ‘Oh how are you?” And I said, ‘I’m rooming with you,’ and he said it was no problem.

I went, ‘Oh great’. Went up, knocked on the door. Nothing. Knocked again. Nothing.

I was thinking, ‘Oh shit, what’s happening here?’ Knocked again and next minute he’s come to the door and said, ‘What?!’ And I said, ‘I’m rooming with you’. And he said, ‘Oh, okay’.

So, the point was, I was nervous. I hope I don’t bring it across that bad to the youngsters. Look, I have a laugh with them and all that but again, it’s a job. You know? I’m still fighting for my position. So as much as I want to be friends with them, I’m fighting for my position. I can’t be too friendly because I still want to play.

 Schwarzy, what a debut back in 1993. Your first full game and it’s a do-or-die World Cup qualifier against Canada. Talk us through that experience.

Mark: My actual first game was in Edmonton in Canada. [Socceroo keeper Robert] Zabica got sent off after 18 minutes and I came on. But my first full game was in the return leg in Sydney. And I’ll admit it, I had a mullet [cue Harry laughing]. Hey I’m happy with that…

Harry: Sorry before we go any further. How old was I?

FFT: About 17…

Harry: And how old was he [when Schwarzer had a mullet]?

Mark: I was 19…

Harry: Big difference, man! Big difference. Look that was the thing though. Jason Donovan had one so everyone had one.

 

Did you see that game when Schwarzy made his debut?

Harry: I was training….

Mark: Actually, here’s a bit of trivia for you both. Who was one of the ball-boys that day?

FFT: A Socceroo?

Mark: Yes

FFT: A striker?

Mark: No. And he wasn’t in this camp but normally is…

FFT: Sydney-based?

Mark: Yes and he plays for the Socceroos now. Based in England for a long time, just came back. C’mon, I can’t make it any easier!

FFT: Emmo?

Mark: Yeah, he was a ball boy that day as a 15-year-old behind my goal.

Harry: I must have been there then. Every time Brett would’ve ball-boyed, I would’ve too. I’ve ball-boyed. In fact I walked out with Musky in the U-20s World Cup in 1993. He held my hand! [cue more laughter all-round].

Mark: You’ve never admitted that before…

Harry: I’ve always said that!

So Musky’s holding your hand – what do you remember?

Harry: All was doing was swearing! Just swearing…

Mark: Musky wouldn’t have done that!