Kewell laments missed chance

HARRY Kewell believes more Australian coaches should have been drafted into the Socceroos’ extended 2018 World Cup coaching set-up.

The Socceroos great admitted a World Cup berth – even in an observer’s status a la Kevin Muscat at last year’s Confederations Cup – would have been priceless for his fledgling coaching career.

Kewell, 39, (pictured) is in the final weeks of a successful debut season as first-team coach, guiding battlers Crawley Town to mid-table in League Two.

As has been the case with recent foreign Socceroos appointments, it’s understood that FFA did not place any obligations on coach Bert van Marwijk regarding appointing or “educating” locals.

Graham Arnold will take over post-Russia, but Ante Milicic is the only Aussie remnant in the senior coaching set-up, although he’s dropped down the pecking order from Ange Postecoglou’s No.2 thanks to van Marwijk’s Saudi Arabia assistants Mark van Bommell and Roel Coumans.

“I would have loved to have gone to the World Cup to watch, to be inside the camp, to get that experience,” Kewell said.

“It would’ve been an amazing thing for me watching an experienced coach like (van Marwijk). Whether it’s me or someone else, I think it would be good to have more Australians there to be able to learn and observe.”

Kewell would have also been a PR boon for FFA, who could have used the Germany 2006 hero to mentor young Socceroos in addition to an ambassadorial role.

Instead he will be plotting his second campaign with fourth-tier Crawley Town.