He won't get a good luck message at least four times a season - but Warren Feeney insists close ally Harry Kewell is more than capable of making a coaching name for himself at Celtic.
The Australian legend won the Champions League with Liverpool as a player and had impressive spells at Turkish giants Galatasaray and Leeds United. But his coaching and management career to date hasn't followed the same trajectory, as after a decent start at senior level with Crawley Town in 2017, was axed in other boss gigs at Notts County, Oldham and Barnet after less than a year.
Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou knows him well from the scene Down Under and has moved to bring him onto his coaching staff ahead of a Premiership season that will include a title defence and a return to European group stage football for Kewell.
It's something his former assistant reckons he can take to with ease in the autumn months.
Feeney was the 43-year-old's number two in his first two management jobs before going on to form a boss career of his own, now at Welling United after time at Pirin Blagoevgrad in Bulgaria.
Formerly of Dundee United, the ex-striker gets the scepticism around Kewell's exploits post-playing so far, but insists they are wrong, as he hasn't had a chance to work with top range players yet.
He exclusively told Glasgow Live Sport : "People probably think his management and coaching career hasn't taken off but for me, he's probably the best coach I've worked with.
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"Harry's coaching, and this is the truth, is probably at Championship to a higher level than what he was. That's no disrespect to the players, it's just they couldn't get to that point. That is the difference.
"His attention to detail is very good. You need to think about what success is too. He took Crawley to their highest position and got a move to Notts County. Then the director of football didn't like the style of play there.
"We'd took them out the relegation zone but lost our jobs after 10 weeks. He's a great person and will feel at home with the manager at Celtic. He coached ahead and players just couldn't get it.
"He wants to play football the right way. He gets the best out of players. He gets his point across well and I'd love to see him at a higher level with players as with the guys at Celtic, I'm sure they will buy into what he does."
Big atmospheres await Kewell in the cauldron of Glasgow's big two but given the fact he's achieved greatness at Liverpool in Istanbul before returning to that city with Galatasaray, Feeney doesn't sense that being an issue.
What will be good for him though is taking a step back and taking in how Postecoglou implements his high-tempo attacking football which is aligned with the former playmaker's own ethos.
Feeney explained: "Ange has a good team who want to play fast. You look at Harry as a player. He lifted people off their seats when he played. It's a great move for him with the manager putting his trust in him.
"He knows what the Old Firm is about. I told him that if you gave Celtic and Rangers five years in the Premier League, they'd be in with the big boys.
"They have the fanbase both teams, and they have big crowds. But he's played at somewhere like Galatasaray and he's not going to get anywhere where more hostile than that.
"I think this is a good move for him as sometimes you need to take that step back. He's been a bit unlucky but he gets to work with a manager who's just won a title, making Harry a better person learning that way."
What Kewell won't get when it comes to derby day in Glasgow is a message of good will from his close pal, who'll firmly be backing rivals Rangers.
The pair met at Leeds United and Feeney doesn't hide from the fact he is a big supporter of the Ibrox club. And that will remain the same when banter gets underway as the first one in September draws nearer.
The Welling boss added: "We speak all the time and he is a close friend. Me and Harry have known each other for 25 years. He's very close to me. We met each other at Leeds United and stayed in contact ever since. Come derby day he won't be!
"I still keep up to date with Scottish football. I won't tell you what my words were when Harry rang to say he had the Celtic job offer!
"I am a big Bluenose. When he rang to say he was off to Celtic I almost chucked my coffee over. Rangers are my team. I don't sit on the fence me!
"There will be absolutely no loyalties that day, it'll be three points for Rangers. And he knows that. Even when we worked together, if we had a game, I'd always ask to get the Rangers game on!"
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