A defiant Gary Lineker has refused to back down from his assertion that the 2003 transfer of Socceroo star Harry Kewell from Leeds to Liverpool was "murky".
Lineker gave evidence in the High Court in London today as part of a libel action by Kewell against the former England captain
over a 2003 newspaper article he wrote attacking the deal.
"Nothing I have heard or read since has changed my view of this," Lineker said.
"This is quite clearly a murky transfer.
"Everything I have subsequently learnt about it has made it seem murkier and murkier.
"Far from feeling the need to apologise, I have to say I feel vindicated."
The £5 million ($13 million) transfer resulted in the then cash-strapped Leeds receiving just £3 million for the player, while £2 million went to Kewell's manager Bernie Mandic.
Lineker said he became "alarmed" and "irked" when he heard a radio interview given by a "brazen" Mandic in which he claimed the £2 million had nothing to do with Kewell.
That prompted him to write the piece for the Sunday Telegraph, which was also a defendant in this libel suit.
Mandic claims that money was owed to him by Leeds for unrealised work to buy a controlling stake in then-NSL club Sydney Olympic.
"For me that simply beggared belief that it had nothing to do with the player, because if Harry Kewell didn't exist, there would be no deal and no two million pounds," Lineker said.
"The facts remain he got £2 million from the transfer of Harry Kewell from Leeds to the Liverpool Football Club and why and how he got the money is totally irrelevant to be honest."
In his article, Lineker claimed agents prey upon "unintelligent sportsmen", but Lineker claimed that statement, and the article generally, were not meant to impugn Kewell.
"The purpose of the article was certainly not to attack Harry Kewell," Lineker said.
"The purpose of the article was to attack the transfer system and the role of agent within that system.
"It's a criticism of Harry for not asking questions, for not wondering why his agent is taking two million pounds out of a deal involving him.
"It's certainly no vicious slur on Harry Kewell - mild criticism of Harry Kewell is how I would describe it."
The case continues.
- AAP
Soccer: Lineker stands by attack on 'murky' Kewell deal
A defiant Gary Lineker has refused to back down from his assertion that the 2003 transfer of Socceroo star Harry Kewell from Leeds to Liverpool was "murky".
Lineker gave evidence in the High Court in London today as part of a libel action by Kewell against the former England captain
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