Australia's Kewell new manager of fourth-tier Crawley

London (AFP) – Australia’s Harry Kewell has been appointed as the new manager of English fourth-tier club Crawley Town, it was announced Tuesday.

The former Leeds United and Liverpool forward, 38, was in charge of Premier League club Watford’s Under-23 team before leaving the Hornets last month.

Kewell is currently doing his UEFA Pro Licence coaching qualification and will be assisted by former Northern Ireland striker Warren Feeney.

“During his interview Harry showed us great passion – that’s needed to make this team move onwards,” League Two Crawley’s director of football Selim Gaygusuz told the southern club’s website.

Kewell won 56 caps for Australia, appearing in two World Cup finals for the Socceroos, and also took part in two Champions League finals with Liverpool.

He joined Leeds in 1995 and made his first-team debut in the Premier League aged 17 the following year.

Kewell was named Young Player of the Year by England’s Professional Footballers’ Association in 2000 and scored 63 goals in 242 Leeds appearances before joining Liverpool three years later.

In 2005, he became the first Australian to play in the Champions League final when Liverpool beat AC Milan on penalties. He also won the 2006 FA Cup while at Anfield and the next year played in his second Champions League final when Liverpool were beaten by Milan. 

Sydney-born Kewell left the Merseyside club in 2008 before ending his playing career with spells at Galatasaray in Turkey, Qatar and in his native Australia.