SPFL boss reveals he seeks helpful advice from Celtic coach Harry Kewell

By Lewis Laird

January 16, 2023

FC Edinburgh boss Alan Maybury has revealed he regularly seeks advice from Celtic assistant coach Harry Kewell.

The League One side have had a brilliant rise in recent years, climbing from the Lowland League in 2016 to the third division in Scotland.

Earlier in 2022, the team from the capital were promoted through the playoffs, despite finishing 4th place in Scottish League Two.

Since their promotion, they have kicked on under the management of Alan Maybury, who took charge of the club in March 2022 and now has them sitting 3rd place in League One.

Despite this being Maybury’s 1st managerial role, the Irishman has picked up experience in several different coaching roles with clubs such as Hibernian, Falkirk, St Johnstone and Kilmarnock.

He has also worked south of the border alongside a current member of the Celtic coaching staff, Harry Kewell.

Maybury and the Australian international have a long connection, which goes back to the start of their footballing days when both men were teammates at Leeds United for five years.

They were reunited when Kewell took up the role of Oldham Athletic and named the current FC Edinburgh boss as his assistant manager.

Unfortunately, their time at Boundary Park didn’t go too well. But now, both men find themselves enjoying success in Scottish Football.

Speaking in a recent interview, Maybury revealed he still picks the brains of his old colleague for coaching tips about how things work at Celtic under Ange Postecoglou.

He said [Daily Record]: “I catch up with Harry (Kewell) quite a bit. He was really good to me down at Oldham. Him and his family looked after me. I’ve tried to do the same up here for him. I pick his brains about how Ange and his staff work.

“I ask about different things. Some are relevant to my own job, some aren’t. But I can ask: ‘How would you deal with this or that’?

“I speak to people in the game I know for help and advice, like Tommy Wright and Peter Houston, who’ve also been good to me. Last season, when we made the playoffs, I had decisions to make on whether to change the team or not.

“I don’t know it all, I don’t have all the answers. I’m still gaining experience.

“But it’s great that I can go to these people who’ve worked at the highest level. Sometimes I’ll make the right call, sometimes I won’t.

“But I’m not afraid to ask questions. As long as you believe in what you’re doing, you’ll be alright.”

After the success Ange Postecoglou and his staff have enjoyed at Parkhead, it is no surprise to hear that plenty of coaches are fascinated to hear about the on-goings at Lennoxtown.

Having worked alongside one another, Kewell and Maybury will have a strong relationship and will now be glad to see the success they are each enjoying south of the border.

Although Celtic and FC Edinburgh are two leagues apart, I am sure there is plenty of valuable tips Maybury can pick up from the way things work for Kewell.

Of course, it is at a completely different level. But, at an early stage of his managerial career, the Ireland international will be trying to collect as much information as possible.

It would certainly be interesting to see if Maybury would try and use his relationship with Kewell in order to entice the odd loan deal for any Celtic youngsters looking to get out and play regular game time.

For now, though, both men are focused on the task at hand, and helping one another succeed, which is always nice to see in football.

In other news, David Moyes reveals how early days at Celtic helped shape him for future in football.