German soccer star Michael Ballack doesn't rate Harry Kewell

* By Jessica Halloran
* From: The Sunday Telegraph
* May 15, 2010

GERMANY captain Michael Ballack did not know which club Socceroos star Harry Kewell played for and said the Australian will struggle at this year's World Cup.

Ballack, named in the World Cup All Star Teams in 2002 and 2006, said Kewell is inconsistent and does not handle expectation well.

"He has great ability, but he can go up and down as a player," Ballack said in an interview with Alpha magazine. "He has a wonderful left foot, but then when people expect more from him he can't really show it. Where is he playing now?"

When told Kewell was playing with Turkish club Galatasaray, Ballack said that the Australian left the English Premier League prematurely.

"You see, I wasn't sure, I had to ask," Ballack said. "He should be playing in a better league - a player of his big ability shouldn't have left the Premier League so early. He is a player who hasn't been consistent in his career. He can score two or three goals in a game, but in the next game there is nothing."

Ballack's international scoring record is excellent for a midfielder - 42 goals from 98 games - and Germany have not lost a game in which he has scored for five years.

In the revealing interview Ballack, who plays for Chelsea and is without doubt Germany's most important player, had no knowledge of Australia's coach Pim Verbeek.

"Nothing, I'm afraid," Ballack said.

However, the Chelsea star had a better assessment of the Australian side, which he said will "have nothing to lose" and would challenge Germany in the World Cup opener.

But Ballack said they expect to win their match against Australia. "That is normal, we expect to win every game," he said.

"It is important to start the tournament well. We know we are in a tough group, and we expect Australia to give us a very difficult game. They are a strong and physical side, just like they were at the World Cup in 2006.

"They impressed me then and were unlucky to go out to Italy. They have now qualified for this World Cup very well, too."

He did not see Australia as the weakest team in the group.

"No, I don't think that," Ballack said. "I really don't. We see Australia, Ghana and Serbia all on the same level. Remember we saw you play so well in our country four years ago, so the players assume Australia will be just as difficult as Serbia and Ghana.

"(Australia) played very well in qualifying, and have several good players.

"Trust me, we will not underestimate them. Maybe Australia are a little bit like Germany: a very good team, but don't have so many superstars, which makes Australia unreadable."

Ballack made it clear that Germany have one intention at the World Cup - and that is to be the last team standing in South Africa.

"If you play for Germany you can have only one expectation: to get to the final and win it," he said. "We have to win, nothing less, it is the German way.

"At the last World Cup we came third and at Euro 2008 we reached the final, so we have got close in recent years. This year in South Africa maybe we aren't one of the top favourites like in the past.

"We have been struggling a bit, losing some friendlies, and we have problems in our side but we can win the World Cup. History shows you always have to look out for the Germans."


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