Exclusive by John Sinnott

Viduka and Kewell celebrate

Australian coach Frank Farina has dismissed talk of a rift between his two star forwards Mark Viduka and Harry Kewell ahead of next week's international with England.

A report in an Australian newspaper in December quoted Viduka as saying that Kewell had hardly spoken to him in two years during their time together at Leeds.

Viduka also accused Kewell's agent Bernie Mandic - who once managed Viduka's affairs - of pushing the captaincy claims of his client to Farina.

But Farina - who in the past has admitted to hitting Robbie Slater in a training session when the two were playing together for the Australian national team - insists the two forwards have never been a problem.

"There has never been any issues with Harry or Mark when they have been together in an Australian camp," Farina told this website.

"They are a pleasure to deal with both on and off the field.

"Obviously they are both different characters, but that is what a team structure is made of.

"You don't want to put out a team of clones."

"I can only reiterate that in my time in charge over the last three-and-half-years they have been a pleasure to deal with.

"Maybe those stories... maybe they were just stories."

After the row broke out Viduka distanced himself from the comments, but not before Kewell hit back at his teammate.

"I have never had a problem with Mark and have no idea what he's trying to achieve with his comments," he told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.