WHEN a sportsman of a certain age says the competition is proving tougher than expected, generally there are two possible explanations. The less commonly accepted is that the man is slowing down and losing his skills. The other is that the standard of the players around him is rising and surprising him. Harry Kewell chooses to see his A-League initiation in those terms.

''It's been difficult,'' Kewell said after a sweaty training session yesterday. ''The league's not as easy as everyone made it out to be. It's a tough league. It's fast, it's furious, it's strong, it's quick. It's for me to adapt to that. This has been a big learning curve for me.''

Harry Kewell's introduction to the A-League has been torrid. Credit:Getty Images

To keep this in perspective, Kewell stopped short of comparing the skill level in the A-League with the exquisite charms of the European leagues where he has plied his trade for the past decade or more. Rather, he talked about attitude.

''You hear from people playing in the league and you hear people talk about the league,'' he said. ''I've been hearing about it for the past six years, that it's not like this or that. I've had a rude awakening. It's completely the opposite. It's quick, it's strong. Sometimes the passes are not as crisp as European passes, but the thought is there.''