Socceroos legend Kewell gets Barnet coaching job

Former Socceroo Harry Kewell has taken the head coach role at English National League club Barnet.

Kewell takes on a club that finished 22nd in the English Conference Premier, the fifth division of English football, last year but was saved from relegation because of a temporary pause due to COVID-19.

Barnet last played in League Two from 2015 to 2018.

Kewell joins Barnet after he was sacked from him head managerial job by League Two club Oldham Athletic.

Barnet also simultaneously appointed a Football Director, non-league specialist Dean Brennan, to oversee all off-field football matters and manage the recruitment, performance, analysis, logistics and youth departments.

Kewell has previously coached Notts County, where he was sacked after 14 games, and Crawley Town, where he had a successful spell before leaving the club for Notts.

“Barnet is a fantastic football club but we need to get the club back on the right path and get going back in the right direction," Kewell said.

"The Chairman and myself have put a really exciting backroom team together, with the view of a collective unit being the driving force behind a successful future for the football club.

"That starts with me as a head coach, but also with all of the staff, players and of course the supporters, we need to be a collective group with the ambition of bringing brighter days back to this incredible club.

"There’s plenty of hard work to do to get us going in the right direction and I can’t wait to get started.”

Barnet FC Chairman, Tony Kleanthous, said:

“I am delighted to welcome two extremely talented people to The Hive London to spearhead a new era for the club.

"I have full faith that we have a great set-up that will support the rebuild of the First Team and take us forward into a successful 2021-22 campaign.

There’s plenty of hard work to do ahead of the new season and I look forward to seeing Harry and Dean, along with our existing backroom staff, get cracking with the task at hand.

"I am confident that with our recent appointments, there will be brighter days ahead for our supporters. ”