Unheralded striker may be Australia's secret weapon

OEHRINGEN, Germany, June 9 (Reuters) Despite the fact English-based strikers Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka get most of the attention, it is an unheralded player who is looming as Australia's possible matchwinner against Japan on Monday.

Few people had heard of Josh Kennedy when coach Guus Hiddink read out his World Cup squad last month but the giant forward is suddenly regarded as Australia's secret weapon.

The towering Kennedy is a fine header of the ball, as he demonstrated by scoring on his debut against Liechtenstein on Wednesday.

He is unlikely to start the three Group F games although his heading makes him a perfect candidate to come off the bench if the Socceroos need a late goal against Japan.

''Hopefully, against the Japanese, their tallest player is 1.90m or something like that, so that would be to my advantage,'' the 1.95m Kennedy told reporters today.

''I demonstrated it (against Liechtenstein). Late in the game, those balls into the box, they're my balls.'' Hiddink said he had chosen Kennedy because he wanted a player who offered something different from the rest and has been reluctant to discuss his role.

''This is just not something we talk about in public,'' said the Dutchman.

Kennedy sneaked under the radar of most Australians because he spent the past six years playing in the Bundesliga, away from the glare and spotlight of the English league where most of his countrymen ply their trade.

He was a member of the side that reached the final of the 1999 FIFA under-17 world championship and left home the following year to spend two seasons, mostly on the bench, with VfL Wolfsburg.

A fluent German speaker, he spent a season in the third division with Stuttgart Kickers, then a year back in the first division with Cologne, but played rarely.

He has hit 16 goals in two years for second division Dynamo Dresden and been signed by first division Nuremberg for next season.

Australia's other group opponents are Brazil and Croatia.

REUTERS PDS KN2043