Frustrated Kewell eyes return to English game

The 33-year-old Australia forward endured a difficult injury-cursed spell at Liverpool after a controversial big-money move from Leeds in 2003, before spells with Galatasaray and Melbourne Victory.

Kewell has now opted to return to the UK for family reasons after one season in his native Australia with A-League side Victory.

The Australia international has been linked with Middlesbrough, Blackburn and Swindon Town, but no deal has been forthcoming and he said his reputation from his last stint at Liverpool hadn’t helped.

“That’s my biggest problem because no one, especially in England, has seen me for four years because I’ve been away,” Kewell told Australia’s Daily Telegraph.

“And obviously when I left England I had a bad name because of all my injuries, but in the last four years that I have played in Galatasaray and Melbourne, I’ve played all the games.

“It’s very difficult. I’m twiddling my thumbs. I’m working and training but don’t know what I’m doing. I’d love to be playing back in England to get a feel for that again. Whether it happens or not is another question.

“It’s frustrating because I need to do something and once I find out what I’m doing, I’ll be a lot happier.”

Colin Kazim-Richards and Sam Baldock scored two goals in the space of three minutes to earn West Ham a 2-2 draw with German second division side Energie Cottbus at the Stadion der Freundschaft.

The visitors found themselves 2-0 down before former Sheffield United striker Kazim-Richards struck in the 77th min ute, two minutes before Baldock pulled Sam Allardyce’s side level.