Soccer: Lineker made Kewell look a 'complete fool'

LONDON - The jury in the Harry Kewell-Gary Lineker libel case has been asked to award substantial damages to the Socceroo star over an article that held him up for public ridicule.

In closing arguments today in the libel case brought by Kewell against Lineker over a 2003 newspaper column relating to Kewell's move from Leeds United to Liverpool, the Socceroo's barrister Andrew Monson invited the jury to award "substantial damages".

Monson asked the six men and six women to look beyond Lineker's enormous popularity in this country for being a former England football captain that was never booked once in his professional career and now a highly-regarded television pundit.

"If this was (the TV show) I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, it's not hard to predict who would get voted off first," Monson told the jury.

"This is not a popularity contest, this is about what the evidence shows.

"Harry Kewell is being held up for public ridicule and vilification.

"If you're going to name and shame people, details matter ... and facts matter.

"Making defamatory attacks in print is not familiar territory for TV's Mr Nice Guy.

"Mr Lineker was not only confused about what was going on in the transfer deal, but confused about the rules of the game of journalism.

"If the tackle misses the ball and scythes down the player, it's the duty of the referee to blow his whistle.

"Mr Lineker charged onto this particular pitch and cut down Harry Kewell with a clumsy and misinformed challenge causing serious injury to Harry Kewell's reputation and feelings."

Lineker's article attacked the transfer which saw Kewell's agent Bernie Mandic receive £2 million ($5.1 million) and Leeds just £3 million from Liverpool.

Mandic claims the money he received was money owed to him by Leeds for unfulfilled efforts to buy a majority stake in then-NSL club Sydney Olympic, and therefore did not cost Kewell.

Lineker's article claimed Kewell was happy to have his agent profit at his expense - something Lineker's advocate Heather Rogers re-iterated today.

"They took advantage, they took the opportunity ... and Harry knew nothing about it," Rogers said.

"I will have a slice of cake for my client is what (Mandic) should have said, but I will have a slice of cake for myself is what he did say.

"He justifies it as payment for work that has basically gone up the Swanny."

The judge was to make his summary to the jury today, and the jury is likely to retire to consider its verdict tomorrow.

- AAP