Kewell praises Venables as his inspiration

Harry Kewell has offered his thanks to Terry Venables, a manager he describes as "the best motivator in the game", for rejuvenating his Leeds career. The Leeds supporters might be taking their time to warm to Venables' methods given the expressive and often entertaining football played under David O'Leary, but Kewell is already a big fan.

Whether the tide has turned with Thursday's 1-0 Uefa Cup second-round first-leg victory over Hapoel Tel-Aviv, in which Kewell scored an 82nd-minute winner to end Leeds' miserable six-match winless streak, remains to be seen.

Kewell certainly seems to think so, and is now happier with his game than he has been for some time. "It's always hard for a new manager to come in and change the way we are playing," the Australian international said. "With new ideas and new formations, it's always going to take time. But the boys love it, we're trying really hard, and you can just see it's starting to come through and turn round.

"Hopefully the fans can stick by us that bit longer and I'm quite sure they will see a big difference.

"I know I feel great. I feel fitter, feel sharper and I feel smart in my game. It's all down to the training, while there's a new atmosphere.

"It's good to see a great manager coming in and producing things on the park that we haven't seen before, but then it's really more to do with what he says to us.

"He is a great motivator, probably the best in the game. He has done a lot for me and long may it continue."

Darren Bent hopes his match-winning goal against the Czech champions Slovan Liberec can kick-start Ipswich's sluggish season. The striker volleyed in three minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute in Joe Royle's first match in charge at Portman Road on Thursday.

"We just want to win games in Europe and that can put us in good stead for Sunday and the rest of the league campaign," Bent said. "We can put some results together and start moving up the league. If we can take the form of Thursday night into Sunday, we should get the result."

The 18-year-old will hope to add to his four goals so far this campaign as he gets a start against Crystal Palace tomorrow. He might have been partnering Everton's Wayne Rooney for England Under-19 against Macedonia, but with Ipswich's leading scorer Pablo Counago suspended the club asked for Darren Ambrose and Bent, who was on stand-by after injury, not to be considered, and he should partner Alun Armstrong up front.