Head coach boss Kewell: 'It's been a blessing to be able to link up with Crawley Town and especially with a club which is as ambitious as me'

The 38-year-old was unveiled as head coach three weeks ago but is only just getting his feet under the table at the Checkatrade.comn Stadium.

Speaking to the Crawley Observer today (Tuesday) he said: "I have been in Australia, I had pre-commitments so have been there for two weeks.

"It’s been tough because I have been working virtually all day there and then as soon as everyone wakes up here I have have been working until one or two in the morning.

"But I love it. I am not going to lie, it just feels like what I am supposed to do."

Kewell had an illustrious career as a player, winning various trophies with Leeds, Liverpool and Galatasaray. But he never thought he would get into coaching during his playing days. However he fell in love with it after he set up his Harry Kewell Academy.

He said: "I enjoy coaching. I started coaching young kids in Australia and the enjoyment I got out of it was great.

"When you can teach someone that has no idea what to do, for example strike a ball, and you have spent five minutes with them and you get them to execute that, and not saying they do it 100% like me or like the best players in the world, but they get the nag of it and you see their smiles, especially kids, that made me happy. I just thought wow, that’s what I enjoy.

"It’s tough though. When you are coaching a six-year-old or a 16-year old and you are trying to change their ways but I enjoyed it.

"If you had asked me when I was 25 would I be a coach, I would have said no. I can only focus in on one thing. I did that and went and did my badges, I took my first assessment and I fell in love with it.

"One of the players came up to me and said, ‘I would actually play for you’. I was like ‘cool’, it just went from there."

His first coaching job came at Watford u23s but the Crawley Town job is his first senior job as a head coach.

Kewell said: "I then fell into a fantastic job at Watford, loved it, tough job.

"After two years I just needed that extra challenge. It’s been a blessing to be able to link up with Crawley Town and especially with a club which is as ambitious as me.

"That’s what I want. They are looking for someone firm, someone strong and you only have to ask my u23s how strong I was. I was a soldier when I played, I always respected my managers, always listened to what they said and that’s what I expect my players to do."