IT'S such a tawdry end to what should have been a great adventure. Harry Kewell's year of living locally should, in an ideal world, have delivered Melbourne Victory on-field success, bigger crowds, mainstream media attention for the A-League and paved the way for him to sign an extended deal to play out his days in his native land before ending his career with an appearance at the 2015 Asian Cup, which Australia hosts.

To say that it was disappointing would be gilding the lily.

Harry Kewell's Melbourne sojourn has ended on a sorry note. Credit:Paul Rovere

And the latest revelations - that he quit the country amid allegations over unpaid rent, a row over the bill between two management companies, threats of legal action and his former employer, Victory, caught in the middle and holding on to a reported $250,000 in wages - just gives the impression the whole Kewell adventure in Australia was as much a farce as it was about soccer.

Victory says that commercially it benefited from having Kewell on the books, at least in the early stages.