As he prepares for the final game of his career tomorrow afternoon against the Western Sydney Wanderers, Melbourne Heart FC captain Harry Kewell remains adamant that now is the right time to finish his career.
Kewell was welcomed onto the AAMI Park surface by a warm reception by his team mates, taking to training for the final time in the Melbourne rain.
“I’m putting it down that Melbourne is upset, it’s crying so that’s how I’m looking at it,” he joked in regards to the bleak weather.
On a more serious note, Kewell, whose decorated professional career spanned across three decades, declared this was the perfect moment to draw the curtains.
“I’ve loved my career but like I said speaking to the boys, I’ve had time to soak it all in now and like I said I think it’s the right time.”
The stars have somewhat aligned for the former Liverpool winger, taking his final bow in front of a home crowd against the city where it all began for him almost 20 years ago.
“I get out on the park and it’s like my home, I enjoy that, and yes I am going to miss it but again everything’s got to come to an end,” Kewell said.
“What a way to end at home, playing in front of a home crowd and playing against my home town, I don’t think you can beat that.”
Remaining professional until the end, his focus remains solely on obtaining the three points in tomorrow night’s contest which would see Heart avoid the wooden spoon.
“Like I said it’s my last game and it’s a game Melbourne Heart must win and I’m going to be professional to the end.”
“We don’t want to, as a team, finish on the bottom of the table so I think it’s going to be a great game, a feisty game and hopefully everyone can come and see a perfect game.”
A back and side strain has sidelined Kewell over he passed two weeks since announcing his retirement, but the 35-year-old, despite still carrying a nagging injury, is determined to take to the pitch in his farewell match.
“I was always going to go out there, out of all the stuff I’ve played through my whole career it wasn’t going to stop me from going out there in my last game. ”
“It was ashamed that it happened because I would have liked to play in the games before coming up to this but it wasn’t meant to be so I’ve been working hard off the pitch to get right for this game and I’m ready to go.”
For how long the veteran plays tomorrow, coach John van’t Schip said that he’s leaving that decision up to his captain, perhaps ruling out the chance of a farewell substitution.
“Perfect, I’ll be out there the whole game then.”