Gary Lineker has opened up on the time he was sued by then Liverpool star Harry Kewell.
Kewell had been left unhappy when Lineker penned a newspaper column taking aim at his transfer from Leeds to the Reds in 2003. Kewell opted to sue for libel, with the case going all the way to London's High Court in 2005.
The Australian accused the Match of the Day host of a "hurtful and humiliating attack" over the transfer. A seven-day hearing followed over the article, which was headlined "Kewell move made me feel ashamed of the game".
Kewell had been set on a move to Liverpool, with his personal manager Bernie Mandic starting negotiations with the Reds himself. The striker would complete the move, with Mandic's company Max Sport sent £2million of the £5m Liverpool paid.
Mandic's involvement concerned Lineker, whose column called for agents to be banned from working on behalf of both the player and the selling club. Lineker denied libel and pled a defence of fair comment, with the broadcaster now branding the incident "ludicrous".
Premier League odds and betting tips
"Do you know Harry Kewell sued me? It's quite a while ago, I used to have a column and it was around transfers," Lineker told The Rest Is Football podcast as he, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards discussed the best Australian players to feature in the Premier League.
"I was talking about how agents shouldn't be allowed to represent both parties in terms of the football club on both sides and the player himself because of conflict of interest. He sued me over this because I called him naive for that. It was obvious that his agent took the hump.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Who is the best Australian player to feature in the Premier League? Comment below.
Lineker was taken to court by then Liverpool star Harry Kewell ((PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images))"I was in court for four or five days giving evidence, it was ludicrous and obviously it didn't transpire that he won the case.
"But I was thinking 'I feel like a criminal, all I've done is call him naive'. It was surreal, so surreal. There was a jury! Honestly. It went on and on and I just thought 'this won't happen, it's madness'. It was a waste, nuts. I haven't seen him since."
Kewell had been seeking substanial damages from Lineker and his fellow defendants, the Sunday Telegraph's sports editor Jon Ryan and Telegraph Group Ltd. No verdict was reached in the High Court hearing.
The two sides would eventually settle out of court, a month after the original hearing came to an end. The settlement was confidential, with Kewell going on to feature for Liverpool until 2008, winning the Champions League and FA Cup.
and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
