Harry Kewell reveals Ange Celtic charm offensive by text and how he tests previously shy stars

Harry Kewell has revealed the Ange Postecoglou text message charm offensive that convinced him to join the Celtic coaching staff..

The Aussie joined John Kennedy and Gavin Strachan by his compatriot’s side in the summer as first team coach and it’s been a shrewd move on both parts, with Kewell getting to cut his coaching teeth away from the glare of being No 1, and the Hoops nine points clear at the top of the Premiership as players like Jota, Liel Abada, Kyogo and Daizen Maeda shine.

The last meeting between Kewell and Postecoglou prior to that came over a coffee in Melbourne when the then Socceroos boss informed the star man of Australian football that his international career was over. Kewell didn’t hold a grudge though, and admitted that Ange’s Celtic sales pitch, which included a glowing assessment of Kewell’s coaching abilities, meant he was keen to sign up straight away, although he made the boss wait for appearances sake.

“I had originally just got the Barnet job and then things happened there,” Kewell reflected. “Then in the summer time I was talking to a club, let's just say I was talking to them on the Monday and I got a text from the manager and I was taken aback. It was just one of the nicest messages I’ve ever read from a manager to a young coach.

“I showed my wife and said I was going to ring him. He told me he’d love for me to join up, he knew what I’d been through and had kept an eye on me - I didn’t know that - and knew what I liked, what I didn’t like. He thought it would be a good environment for me to come in and work with a great team and get back to where I belong.

“I was blown away. I said I’d get back to him in a couple of days then told my wife I was taking the job, because the way he spoke was