Former Socceroos star Harry Kewell has left his post at Celtic to become manager of Japanese powerhouse Yokohama F Marinos.

Kewell joined Celtic in 2022 as part of the coaching set-up under then-manager Ange Postecoglou, who in June took up the post at English Premier League club Tottenham.

The 45-year-old Kewell was unveiled as Yokohama’s new manager on Sunday.

Yokohama has been on the lookout for a new manager since another Australian, Kevin Muscat, quit in December following a two-and-a-half year stint.

Muscat had replaced Postecoglou in July 2021.

Tweet from @prompt_fmarinos

Yokohama was full of praise for Kewell’s leadership, saying not only could he continue the “attacking football” built under Postecoglou and Muscat but take it to the “next level”.

“The club will ensure to deepen ‘Attacking Football’ further while Mr Kewell is in charge,” the club said in a statement.

Kewell said he was thrilled to land the role.

“I am incredibly proud and excited to represent Yokohama F Marinos,” Kewell said in a statement.

“I would like to thank the club for putting their trust in me to take the team forward.

“There is a lot of work ahead of us, and I am eager to get onto the training ground to start working with the players.

“We will work together as we aim to bring success to the club. The hard work begins now.”

Kewell played in two World Cups for Australia before retiring in 2014.

He began his coaching career in 2015 as an under-21 coach of Watford before taking over at Crawley Town in 2017.

Then followed stints as manager at Notts County, Oldham Athletic and Barnet before Kewell joined Celtic as its first-team coach under Postecoglou and then Brendan Rodgers, its current manager.

“I would like to thank Celtic for giving me such a wonderful opportunity to be part of one of the world’s great football clubs,” Kewell said.

“It has been an absolute privilege to work with Celtic with two great managers in Brendan and Ange.

“It has been an honour to be part of such a fantastic institution and it is a time in my career and life which I will never forget.”

-AAP