FourFourTwo’s Q and A series with John Barnes continues. In part two the Merseyside hero talks about the Australian character, what it was like playing with Craig Johnston and his impression of Socceroo's Harry Kewell and Brad Smith at Liverpool.

Barnes also touches on what it meant to play over 400 games for the Reds and how much he loves coming to Australia.

What is your impression of the talent here in Australia?

What I’ve known in the 10 years since I’ve been travelling around the globe is that there is no difference between kids aged between eight and 14 anywhere in the world.

The kids that are 10 here in Australia are equally as good as the kids that are in England. The kids in England and in any club, Liverpool included, have got an opportunity because they have arrived on the doorstep maybe to become a professional footballer or to be given an opportunity. But in terms of the ability there is no difference.

The talent here in Australia is no different to the talent in Brazil or England. Australia is not the last frontier because Liverpool don’t have many academies. It may be the last frontier in terms of distance, but they haven’t got any academies in North Africa they haven’t got many academies world-wide. Australia is one of the few places and they recognised that they have the talent.

More importantly, we all know about the Aussie character: determination, a never say die spirit, a belief. We’ve had examples in Craig Johnston to Harry Kewell to Mark Viduka. So, we know they have the talent here and they have the character and now here is an opportunity for them to maybe progress.

What are the attributes of Australian players that you notice the most?

Australian players remind me a lot of American players. And Australian people remind me a lot of Americans. Americans regardless of the perception of them from a football perspective - Americans play American football and baseball and Australians play rugby League and cricket. But soccer players they, I won’t say punch above their weight, but they are very successful and that is mainly because of their character.  Because there are countries who on the face of it, you would think are better equipped to be successful in football because of their ability like lots of the African countries. But they don’t do as well because of the character.

I think that is the character of the people, not just the footballers. I think back to when foreign footballers started to come to England in the 80’s and the Scandinavian players. Because of their character, they weren’t the greatest but they had the right attitude and the right desire. Australians are very similar - because they aren’t going to be considered the top players as they are from Australia regardless of their ability so they have to have that attitude.

You mentioned Craig Johnston earlier can you talk about what it was like playing with him?

Craig Johnston for me just typifies that (Australian character). He paid for his own plane ticket, got over there and wouldn’t take no for an answer from anyone. He won the European Cup, so worldwide people know about the character of Australians not just the footballers.

Once again and Craig will say that himself, Craig wouldn’t say that he is the most technical player and that he wasn’t the greatest player. But he won the European Cup and he won the League and he won the FA Cup because while he did have ability, he probably had more character than ability and he would be the first to admit that and that is equally as necessary to be successful.

Harry Kewell obviously came along not long after Craig. Harry probably had more natural ability than Craig but Craig was probably a bit more successful Australian player because of that spirit that he had and that never say die attitude.

I lived about a mile from Craig so I know him very well and he is one that everyone would call a typical Aussie.

Do you think that Harry Kewell’s injuries stopped him from showing his best at Liverpool?

I’m the same - I ruptured my Achilles when I was 29 years old and I had to change the way I played because I couldn’t do what I did before. Harry had his injuries but Harry won the European Cup and he did well. I think everybody always shows their best because obviously when he was at Leeds in his heyday, the perception may have been that he was more of an individual player back then and he may have done better. But Harry was a very successful player at Liverpool and he did what he had to do. And he did his best so therefore I believe he showed his best but showing your best isn’t always about doing what you did at Leeds where he was scoring all those goals. So, I definitely think Harry maximised his potential at Liverpool.

Brad Smith came from Lennox Head near Lismore and came through the junior ranks and played in the senior ranks at Liverpool. How important is having him as an example for the kids in Australia that they can do what he did?

As I said, if you look at Craig Johnston he probably came through in a much more difficult time and had to pay for his own ticket over there and being rejected.  If you speak to people at Liverpool, Brad has that character to be a professional footballer. Being a professional footballer is about if you can’t play at the highest level, you then have to play somewhere else. It didn’t work for him at Liverpool but he’s another Premier League player and a fantastic player under difficult circumstances. Being an Australian is difficult to play in the Premier League with all the foreign playing coming in so it’s always a good example for the kids when they see someone coming from where you are who’s actually made it. So, he’s a very good role model.

Brad Smith, comes from only 45 minutes from here in Lismore?

It’s a long way to go to Bournemouth! Everybody comes from somewhere and as much as we all like the Hollywood lifestyle you speak to most footballers and they are from little towns somewhere. I’m sure that Diego Maradona is from a little town somewhere so was Pele so as much as you say he’s 45 minutes from here, why should he be from Sydney? Footballers are footballers they come from anywhere.

Are you surprised how much you support you get from Liverpool supporters here in Australia?

I’ve known about it for years. I came here in 1983 to play a friendly against Australia, my first game was in Melbourne. I also played in Brisbane so I know how passionate they are about football.  I’ve had 280 flights in 10 years - I go to Africa 10 times a year, I’m in South East Asia. A lot of people who don’t have that opportunity to travel may be surprised. Because of course Australia plays cricket and Aussie Rules and Rugby League - that’s the perception. But I know football amongst youngsters is probably more popular than all of them. So, while a lot of people may be shocked, it doesn’t shock me because I know how popular football is all over the world. As much we talk about football in England, football here is equally as popular so I’m not being blasé when I say that it doesn’t surprise me because I’ve been travelling around this part of the world for a long time and I know how popular it is.

Several former Liverpool players still have a connection with the club after they finish playing, tell us how coming to Australia allows you to feel that connection with the club and fans?

It’s not just coming to Australia because we have been ambassadors for Liverpool. We have been travelling around and understand the responsibility that we have and I don’t see it as a burden and I don’t necessarily see it as a big weight to bear. It’s something I like doing because I love football.

I love meeting fans. I understand how important Liverpool is to people. So as much as yes, I am representing Liverpool here in Australia, for the last eight-nine years I’ve been travelling all over the world with Liverpool, not only opening academies but representing Liverpool in different ways. So, it’s always good to come and meet Liverpool fans and see the passion that they have. So, I suppose if you speak to any fan of any football club they’ll be exactly the same. Football is just the greatest phenomenon as I call it in the world.

Playing for Liverpool has a different feeling about it – why?

There are certain players who will be synonymous with Liverpool. Modern football is such that I don’t think in the future you are going to have players who will be at Liverpool for 10-15 years and who will remain in the area. With so many foreign players coming in now, they will probably go back to their own country after they leave Liverpool maybe in to two-three or four years. So, you may not have that relationship with modern players who will be synonymous with Liverpool and fans can identify as being Liverpool players.

I mentioned Luis Suarez, he won’t be regarded as Liverpool player. Liverpool fans will still love him but in 10 years’ time maybe he will be more regarded as a Barcelona player. Whereas the players of my generation because we were around for a long time we used to live in the area and still associate with Liverpool. Liverpool will now be represented by the academies and by the coaches and James Gow. You go to China, to south east Asia, you go all over and Liverpool will be represented regardless of whether it’s going to be via a player or not.

Because the brand Liverpool and the family of Liverpool will always be there so it’s great for me to be here and even if I wasn’t that wouldn’t detract from the importance and the love that people have for Liverpool in Australia.