Former Celtic coach Harry Kewell, is attracting unwanted headlines after a stormy confrontation with officials, amid ongoing struggles with his J-League side Yokohama F. Marinos.
The 45-year-old Australian, who made a significant impact in the Celtic dressing room under Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers, left with everyone’s best wishes to pursue a managerial career in Japan, succeeding ex-Rangers defender Kevin Muscat.
Kewell’s tenure at Yokohama showed promise as he guided the team to the Asian Champions League final. However, their campaign ended in disappointment with a crushing 5-1 defeat by UAE’s Al-Ain, managed by Argentine legend Hernan Crespo, leading to a 6-3 aggregate loss. Following the match, Kewell didn’t mince his words and accused the officials of falling for Al-Ain’s antics.
His frustration with officials resurfaced after a 3-2 loss to Kashima Antlers on Saturday, where he was booked for another outburst. A-League journalist Sacha Pisani criticised Harry’s behavior, stating it “goes against Japanese culture,” and noting that this was not Kewell’s first clash with referees.
Kewell’s time at Celtic was marked by positivity and respect. He was known for boosting morale and leaving a lasting impression in the dressing room. When he departed, he carried with him the best wishes of everyone at the club, who hoped he would find success and steer his new team back on track.
Currently, Yokohama Marinos are experiencing a rough patch, with only one win in their last eight J-League matches. This has seen them plummet to 13th place in the 20-team table, a far cry from last year’s second-place finish under Muscat, who has since moved to Chinese Super League club Shanghai Port.
We hope he can turn things around.
