Harry Kewell has split with his long-time manager Bernie Mandic amid upheaval at his Australian A-League club Melbourne Victory, reports said on Friday.The former Liverpool and Galatasaray star ended a 15-year association with Mandic that began when Kewell was a teenager in the English top flight in the early 1990s and made him one of Australia's richest sportsmen.
Kewell will now be looked after by Australian James Erskine, who also manages former Test cricketer Shane Warne.
"I took over as Harry's manager last week during The Presidents Cup golf tournament (in Melbourne)," Erskine told The Australian.
Despite being almost a permanent fixture during Kewell's entire career with Leeds United, Liverpool and Galatasaray, "Mandic appears to have paid the price for a series of controversies that have helped paint the midfielder in a poor light in the eyes of (Australian) fans and the media", the newspaper said.
Mandic told the Melbourne Age from Paris: "I've had a long and happy relationship with Harry and I wish him success."
Kewell, 33, who signed with Melbourne Victory this year after months of protracted talks, has had a tough initiation to the A-League, failing to score in five appearances while missing two games through Socceroos duty and injury.
Coach Mehmet Durakovic is under siege and there have been management exits and reports of a split board with Victory struggling in seventh spot in the 10-team competition..
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