Kewell issues open letter to Leeds fans
Galatasaray’s Austalian winger Harry Kewell has is issued an open letter to Leeds United fans via Sky Sports. We reproduce it here without further comment:
“My love and respect for Leeds United FC and what the club has done for me will never change, no matter what anyone says about me and whatever their motives are.
“My sense of sorrow and sympathy for the families and friends of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight will always be with me.
“I chose the No.19 shirt when I signed for Galatasaray as a sign of respect for Leeds because that was the number I got when I first became a regular member of the Leeds United FC starting XI. I felt that it might be a way to demonstrate that I had not forgotten where it all started and I was hoping that in a small way it would help the healing process of the tragedy that occurred on the 5th of April 2000.
“For me, sport should first and foremost be about the love of your game. But equally important is the respect for not only your team-mates but all those who you compete against. For this reason I have always objected to any form of discrimination in any sport and football in particular, as that is the sport that is the most near and dear to me.
“To blame the Galatasaray club for the tragedy in Istanbul is simply wrong and discriminatory. This is a club founded in 1905 that has a proud history of striving for sporting excellence and it should be given the same respect as any other football club.
“I respect everyone’s right to have their own opinion on whatever they like, but that does not make their opinion right. No one has to agree with my views or my choices, but I think it’s only fair and reasonable to allow me and my family to enjoy the same democratic rights as expected by those that have been attacking me over the last few days.”
obviously he has gone for the money, it can’t be for the love of the game. why would he want to take his 3 young children & wife to a place from hell to live! it beggars belief
Turncoat
Christine, I don’t know if you’ve ever visited Istanbul, but to describe it as a “place from hell” is just daft: you’re talking about one of the great world cities, literally thousands of years of history and culture and in general full of sophisticated and friendly people. When I spent a week or so there a few years ago I wasn’t sure how I’d go down as a Leeds fan but in fact almost everybody I spoke to, while having a different perspective from what you might hear in Leeds, was polite and basically embarrassed about what had happened. Are you going to say that you couldn’t find some absolute animals in Leeds? Ever spent a friday night in casualty at Jimmy’s?
Has Kewell gone for the money? Yeah, probably. Does it come across as insensitive, given his time at Leeds? Well, it doesn’t bother me but I suppose you could see it that way. Does he deserve the world of s**t he’s been getting for it? Not for me.
Chapeltown White
Leon Constantine may have only played a handful of times in the white shirt but following his comments at the weekend about the loyalty of Leeds fans & how much they mean to the players & club I think he understands more than Harry ‘Cruel’ will ever do. Leon you are welcome back to Elland Road anytime. Mr Kewell you can…….!
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