SPORT Kewell fixed on coaching return

A CANDID Harry Kewell has conceded his shock Notts County sacking just 14 games into the job has forced him to reassess the way he goes about his work.

But despite the “difficult pill to swallow”, he has vowed to bounce back.

The Socceroos great revealed he had already commenced fact-finding missions to continue his coaching education, and hoped he would get another chance soon.

Notts County is understood to have paid in excess of $200,000 to buy Kewell out of his contract from fellow League Two club Crawley Town in August, and will need to pay out more after pulling the trigger mid-November, just 72 days into a three-year deal.

Speaking from the US, where he’s combined a break with scouting, Kewell said it had been a whirlwind.

“It’s a difficult pill to swallow, I’ve still got to wrap my head around what happened,’’ Kewell told the Sunday Territorian.

“You’re doing so well somewhere (Crawley Town) and at that level to get bought to put your own stamp on something and change it.

“Then to be (sacked), it knocks your confidence and it makes you reassess your methods.

“It’s frustrating, I know I can do it. It paints a picture that I failed.

“I’m sure most people fail if they only got 11 (league) games and no window to bring players in.

“I’m more determined than ever to continue.

“Hopefully, I get another opportunity to coach, you want to learn from your mistakes.”

After cutting his teeth with Watford’s reserves, Kewell did wonders at modest Crawley Town, pushing for an unlikely playoff finish last season before finishing just below midtable.

While Notts had the worst defensive record in England’s fourth-tier, their history, budget and ambition lured Kewell north.

The honeymoon ended quickly, but Kewell said it was a privilege and educational and vowed to bounce back.

“It gives me time to reflect, to work on things I know I can be better at and go out there and have some positive meetings, meet clubs, watch coaches, get some ideas and speak football,’’ he said.

“I love European football, England’s leagues are fantastic. It’s been a privilege to be able to manage.

“I’ve always been keen on Europe, to push my ideas of football.

“If it happens it happens. I’m regrouping, working on a few things, still coming up with training ideas, still working on the next step-ups to the way I want to play and how I can introduce it.”

Coaching has not been an easy road for one of Australia’s best-ever footballers.

“I have (put in a lot of hard work),” Kewell said.

“From the first moment I started coaching at Watford, it took me well over a year to find how I wanted to play.

“Since, it’s been building each day.

“Just prior to being sacked I put together another sequence of training sessions.

“I’m always trying to evolve my sessions.

“Now I have to wait and start again, wherever I get another chance, and quickly progress the style.”