Nobody is safe from criticism.

[Squiggles]

HARRY KEWELL'S agent believes the football world was never able to see the best of the striker at Liverpool because of the ineptitude of the British medical system, which repeatedly failed to correctly diagnose and treat Kewell's injuries.

Bernie Mandic, who has enjoyed a career-long association with Kewell, revealed that his star client was repeatedly denied access to the world's leading medical authorities, which he believes are found in Australia, where Kewell now receives treatment.

The Galatasaray star is in Sydney to have his injured groin assessed, with the good news arriving yesterday that the injury - which some had speculated could keep him sidelined for months - would keep him from training for just two weeks, with a full comeback thought to be about a month away.

While Kewell, 31, has largely managed to resurrect his career in Turkey, Mandic and his marquee client have been left to ponder what might have been had Liverpool's medical staff allowed Kewell to be assessed elsewhere during what should have been the peak years of his career.

''The reason he gets treated out here now is because we have the best medical staff in the world,'' Mandic told the Herald yesterday. ''He lost 3½ years of his career at Liverpool because the guys over there in England had, quite literally, no idea what they were talking about.

''You have to wonder what they're doing over there. Perhaps they're trying to protect their reputations, but they're certainly not trying to protect their players. I think it's a disgrace, as I think it was a disgrace the way Harry was treated. What goes around comes around, and people are now wondering, 'How has he recovered like that?' when everyone in England thought he was a broken toy …

''It's a damn shame we didn't … come here earlier. If nothing else, the last World Cup would have seen a far better Harry and maybe they could have avoided the [foot] injury he suffered in the end. But that's life, you learn from it, move on, and that's exactly what Harry's done. Now he doesn't take any chances. He likes to get second opinions, and the bottom line is that Australian doctors have never let him down.''

Ironically, Liverpool - who are believed to have thought Kewell would never make a full recovery - are now trying to track down the Australian specialists who brought him back to full health.

''We had Rafa Benitez call him the other night inquiring who these guys were because Fernando Torres has got such major problems now,'' Mandic said. ''Then we've had Jonathan Woodgate's physio, Dave Hancock, who used to work at Chelsea and before that worked with Harry and Jonathan at Leeds, inquiring about Jonathan, who is apparently almost unfixable.

''Look at Liverpool - why is it that over so many recent years, usually around November, lots of their key players are injured? … It's always soft-tissue injuries. How come other clubs, like Arsenal, don't have that sort of a dilemma? And why do their players recover quicker? There's logical reasons for all of this.''

Does he have a point?

 

[vantage]

Very probably.

 

[manwithnoname]

Bernie Mandic is a cunt.

That's the only point I give a shit about

 

[Sunny]

The only valid point is that Kewell is injured. Again.

 

[themn]

[quote author=Sunny link=topic=38742.msg1047594#msg1047594 date=1265033575]
The only valid point is that Kewell is injured. Again.
[/quote]

Yep.

 

[The Slugmonster]

[quote author=Sunny link=topic=38742.msg1047594#msg1047594 date=1265033575]
The only valid point is that Kewell is injured. Again.
[/quote]

Si senor

 

[the_khl]

I've always liked the idea of Kewell.







That's about it.

 

[Roopy]

Australian Sports Science is well ahead of the Brits.

Ironically, Liverpool - who are believed to have thought Kewell would never make a full recovery - are now trying to track down the Australian specialists who brought him back to full health.

Yeah... and also go find out who the doctors are at AC Milan (in my mind the best club doctors in world football)

 

[Atlas]

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=38742.msg1047588#msg1047588 date=1265033337]

''Look at Liverpool - why is it that over so many recent years, usually around November, lots of their key players are injured? … It's always soft-tissue injuries. How come other clubs, like Arsenal, don't have that sort of a dilemma? And why do their players recover quicker? There's logical reasons for all of this.''

Does he have a point?
[/quote]

He absolutely does have a point, our fitness staff and medical staff at the club need to have a look at the players and work to each individual.
I remember reading something ages ago when Owen kept getting injured, someone from the GB athletics team saying Owen was doing all the wrong warm ups and it wasnt helping his body cope with the strenuous stop start sprinting at top gear type workout he would get during a 90 min game, the same will happen to Torres to an extent.

Mandic might be a cunt and Harry might be injured again but the point remains.

 

[TheBunnyman]

[quote author=Roopy link=topic=38742.msg1047606#msg1047606 date=1265034628]
Australian Sports Science is well ahead of the Brits.

Ironically, Liverpool - who are believed to have thought Kewell would never make a full recovery - are now trying to track down the Australian specialists who brought him back to full health.

Yeah... and also go find out who the doctors are at AC Milan (in my mind the best club doctors in world football)
[/quote]

I find that quite hard to believe, but even if it were true... surely there must be some Aussie doctors living in Britain? Does he really need to fly all the way back to Oz just to get treatment?

 

[Squiggles]

I know it's an iffy source, but I do believe injuries to players should hold more accountability.

There is a tendency, I think, to view them as inevitable consequence of being a footballer - but for the most part it's down to preparation, training and player management, aspects which are in the clubs control.

 

[Wilko7]

Kewell was the most exciting signing in years at the time. It's a great shame that we saw so little of him for Liverpool.

 

[manwithnoname]

Australia sends us bar staff, not doctors

 

[Rosco]

David James was critical about the standard of club medical treatment in England not too long ago. He mentioned it in one of his ghostwritten columns on the Guardian sportsblog

 

[monsieurdantes]

this is because sports physiotherapists don't have a fucking clue about biology, science, or how the body works mechanically. i mean they don't have the brain for it because they are people who are "good at sports", so their ucas application is filled with sports related bullshit. and they get onto a degree in physiotherapy, pass the exams and get jobs at their favourite football clubs. fucking thick cunts. there is a big difference between reading something and being able to answer exam questions on it, compared to reading something and undertanding what the fuck it is about

mandic may be a fucking cunt too, but his opinion that "they don't have a clue what they're talking about" i can see exactly where he's coming from

 

[Farkmaster]

There may be some valid point in there, however this is precisely why I was as flabbergasted when Oncy said we shouldn't have sold him as I was unsurprised when google said he was injured for the billionth times.

Kewell and his minders have had to invent a hundred reasons why his injuries are some conspiratorial force against him, as opposed to his body just breaking down, and I guess that keeps him going somehow. I remember him going back to Australia to receive this world class quality of care, and then getting injured again almost immediately.

And the whole thing is just nauseating, as he always receives a level of press wholly disproportionate with his contribution.

 

[Y1]

When one of Rafa's coach (from Spain, forgot his name) was here, we did not seem to have so many injuries, apart from Kewell that is. Am I right or I have short memories?