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Socceroos legend Harry Kewell joins Ange Postecoglou at Celtic as part of coaching staff

Harry Kewell — who won the Champions League with Liverpool and had 58 Socceroos caps over an 18-year period — will join Postecoglou's back-room staff this month. (Getty: Robert Cianflone)

Socceroos great Harry Kewell will join Scottish giants Celtic as part of Ange Postecoglou's first-team coaching staff, the club announced on Saturday.

After a glittering playing career that included winning the Champions League with Liverpool and amassing almost 60 caps for Australia, Kewell retired from the game in 2014 and immediately began his coaching badges.

His first appointment was as head coach of the Watford under-21 team in July of 2015 before going on to manage clubs in England's lower leagues, including Crawley Town, Notts County, Oldham Athletic and, most recently, Barnet.

As part of Celtic's off-season restructure, Kewell was sought out by Postecoglou to take over from former assistant coach and club legend Stephen McManus, who will now lead the club's reserve team.

Postecoglou's impact at Celtic has been rapid, taking the club back to the top of the Scottish Premier League in his first season in charge and to direct qualification for next season's Champions League.

Celtic fans have warmed to Postecoglou just as quickly, with his name incorporated into songs and even making its way into wedding speeches.

"I am really pleased that Harry has agreed to join my staff," Postecoglou said.

"He knows the game inside-out at the highest level and wants to play football the way myself and my team see it.

The former Socceroos boss has reportedly been a long-time admirer of Kewell's prospects as a coach, almost hiring the 43-year-old as an assistant while in charge of Melbourne Victory in 2016.

This appointment is Kewell's highest-profile coaching role since retiring, although he has never managed to stay at a club for longer than two seasons. Most recently, he was sacked by Barnet after seven games without a win.

Harry Kewell (left) is another member of the Socceroos' "Golden Generation" who have moved from playing to coaching, alongside John Aloisi (centre). (Getty Images: Robert Cianflone)

His hiring also continues Postecoglou's legacy of mentoring up-and-coming Australian coaches, which has included working alongside Peter Cklamovski, Arthur Papas and John Hutchinson while at Japanese club Yokohama F Marinos.

"It is a massive honour to join Celtic and team-up with Ange," Kewell said.

"The manager is synonymous with attacking, exciting football, something he delivered on last season and something I know Celtic fans have loved right across the generations.

"We will be aiming to give our fans more of the same going forward and I look forward to playing my part in bringing this to our supporters.

"I'm ready to work and am really looking forward to getting started."

This week marks the 100th anniversary of the Socceroos, who played their first ever match against New Zealand on June 17, 1922.

The two nations will play a two-game friendly series in September to mark the occasion as Australia fine-tune their squad ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in November.

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