Kewell and Moore on Hiddink agenda

Socceroos coach Guus Hiddink will phone Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez and Newcastle manager Graeme Souness in an effort to boost Australia’s hopes of qualifying for the World Cup finals in Germany next year.

The Socceroos qualified on Tuesday to play the fifth South American country for the 32nd and last place in Germany with a resounding 9-1 aggregate win over Oceania minnows the Solomon Islands.

But despite the overall winning margin, Hiddink’s frustration spilled over after the second leg in Honiara, where the Socceroos scraped through 2-1.

The Dutchman quickly revealed he desperately needed a fit Harry Kewell and Craig Moore if the Socceroos are to have any realistic chance of beating the likes of Uruguay or Colombia over two legs in November.

That’s why he is keen to gain the co-operation of the two English Premier League clubs as soon as possible.

Ultimately, he would like the day-to-day recovery programme for Kewell, who is still getting over a close-season hernia operation, and Moore, who is troubled by a hamstring problem, to be handled by the Socceroos’ London-based physiotherapist Les Gelis.

Hiddink, also the coach of PSV Eindhoven, is keen to have both stars fit and ready to return to the international stage in time for a European training camp early next month ahead of a friendly against Jamaica in London on October 9.

Shaken by the patchy win over the Solomon Islands, Hiddink told the Sydney Daily Telegraph: “We need to get Harry Kewell fit and well as soon as possible.

“It’s a matter of urgency. He is the sort of player who can give us what we need [to reach Germany 2006].

“If we play again like we did against the Solomon Islands we will have no chance of qualifying.

“We must get to a much higher level. Harry and Craig Moore are very important.”