A Week in Football: Harry causes traffic jam

Unwanted... Liverpool has given Kewell the flick but his next destination is sure to create just as many talking points (AAP Images)

We all know that Harry Kewell, whether he gets selected to play a rare game or scratches his groin, is always big news.

But when the headline screams Kewell to leave Anfield, and the story quotes Rafa Benitez saying just that, readership goes through the roof.

That’s what was shown by the results of the survey of TWG page impressions in Week 19. The headline came like a dark thunderclap and sent web traffic soaring to almost record levels, more than double that of any other article on the site.

And it won’t end there, given that the announcement of Harry’s departure will only generate even more curiosity over where he will go.

About that, Bernie Mandic, Harry’s manager, only said: "Our official line is no comment. Watch this space."

Oh we’ll watch it Bern, we’ll watch it alright.

Despite there being no A-League activity and the international against Ghana still weeks away at the time of the survey, local interest still dominated to the extent that articles with an Australian flavour made up six of the top ten of the pops.

Articles like the one on Jade North being tempted by a move overseas, which came in second.

According to the story, North decided this after he heard some very flattering comments by Lucas Neill and Craig Moore about his performance at the pivot of the Socceroos defence in the World Cup qualifier against China.

Of course I could have told Jade he was that good five years ago and I am more than a little miffed that he didn’t come to me first for this kind of appraisal.

James Troisi, the Olyroos tricky 19-year old left flanker, also got some good advice, this time from Newcastle United’s astute manager, Kevin Keegan, who told him to find another club.

But again, it was advice already generously given earlier on this site, especially by the oft-quoted Pim Verbeek who had prodded young James to move on somewhere, like maybe Holland, where he might get the occasional first-team game.

Thank you Kevin. You did both James and us a big favour.

That story, which came in third on the top ten, was followed by a piece with the stirring headline, Valeri working his way up.

This referred to Carl Valeri’s ambition to make the climb from being mini-Vinnie and one day taking over from Vince Grella at the anchor of Australia’s midfield.

A far more exciting headline might have been Valeri sharpens the knife, but, to be fair, that would have been an outrageous beat-up and a bare faced lie, and we don’t do that sort of thing on The World Game.

Mark Milligan, with his errant ways of late, is fast becoming good copy and it was no shock that the report of his ban from the Olyroos camp made the charts at number five.

And just behind him, at six, was the week’s Off the Pitch column by Mariana Rudan.

This can only be for one of two reasons: either the informative collection of short sharp news/gossip items are interesting readers, or that Mariana’s not unattractive mugshot adorns the column’s title graphic.

Bringing up the rear were four articles with a foreign flavour, led by the match report on the EPL’s end of season blockbuster between Chelsea and Manchester United at the Bridge.

Next, coming in at number eight, was the story on Nani, United’s young Portuguese star, being all contrite and snivelling after having been slapped with a three-match ban for head-butting Lucas Neill.

Said Nani: "I want to publicly ask for forgiveness, firstly of my team-mates, secondly of my manager and coaches, and thirdly of the United fans who have given me so much affection."

Now, if he had added God and his mum, not to say Lucas whose handsome face he may have dismembered, I am sure the ban would have been reduced.

The Spanish clasico, Madrid v Barca, always stirs interest, even in our neck of the woods, and Real’s 4-1 thumping of the Catalans pulled in plenty of traffic, coming in at number nine.

And finally, at number ten, was that week’s Serie A wrap, at the head of it the news that Milan won the San Siro derby over Inter, with Kaká starring for the Rossoneri.

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