Soccer: Kewell gives thumbs-up to South Africa safety

Harry Kewell of the Socceroos. Photo / Getty Images

MELBOURNE - Socceroos star Harry Kewell has urged would-be supporters not to be put off attending the World Cup in South Africa because of crime concerns.

With security at the World Cup looming as a critical issue in a country with a high crime rate, Kewell is confident South Africa will be able to host next month's tournament without a climate of fear for fans.

The star striker revealed his family would be attending the tournament and he had no added fears about their personal safety or his own in South Africa compared with anywhere else.

"My family's coming, I have three kids and they're excited to come," Kewell said on Monday when asked whether he would encourage Australian supporters to attend.

"You hear good and bad things about South Africa, but any city in the world, you walk down the wrong street, yes, you may look for trouble.

"I feel safe. It's safe enough for my kids, so the more (Australian supporters) the merrier."

Kewell links up with his Socceroos teammates later this week in Melbourne for a pre-World Cup training camp and a friendly against New Zealand at the MCG on Monday next week.

He arrived in Melbourne early to launch his new range of men's underwear for clothing store Politix - a neat piece of marketing symmetry as the owner of Australian sport's most talked-about groin ahead of the World Cup.

While he remains a longshot to play against the All Whites, Kewell remains confident his troublesome groin will be at 100 per cent for Australia's World Cup opener against Germany on June 14 (Australian time).

"It's important that I am (at 100 per cent) - not only for myself, but for my team as well," Kewell said.

"If I can't be 100 per cent, I'm letting myself down and my team and my country as well.

"I'm doing all the right things. Nothing's pulling up short. We're working on a schedule and it's all going on track."

Kewell and the Socceroos' 31-man extended World Cup squad are scheduled for their first serious training hitout on Wednesday.

- AAP