Kewell has been appointed as the new boss of the Latics after Dino Maarima was sacked on Friday.

Oldham, who narrowly avoided relegation in the 2019/2020 season, have churned through seven different managers in the past two years.

In accepting the position, Kewell is taking on one of English football's biggest poisoned chalices but one that could massively enhance his reputation if he brings success to a club that was a former member of the Premier League.

Kewell, who began his coaching career with Watford's under-23 side, enjoyed a decent first stint as manager of League Two Crawley Town, earning praise for the style of football his side played during an 13-month spell on a small budget.

That was enough to convince Notts County to poach him from their division rivals in August 2018 on a lucrative three-year contract in an attempt to spearhead their promotion bid.

But it proved to be a disastrous move for the former Leeds and Liverpool superstar who lasted 73 days in the Meadow Lane hot-seat before the world's oldest football club slipped out of the Football League for the first time in their history.

Oldham are owned by Moroccan former player agent Abdallah Lemsagam, who has not been afraid to show the door to managers since taking control of the club in January 2018.

Among those who came and went from Boundary Park was Manchester United legend Paul Scholes, who lasted just 31 days amid reports of interference in team selection and transfers from Lemsagam.

Kewell admits he faces a big job getting the club out of League Two, where they have languished since 2018 - a far cry from the club's glory days in the early 1990s where they reached the League Cup final and the FA Cup semi-finals and remained in the Premier League until 1994.

According to the Australian, the League Two club needs stability.

"I will give 100%, hard work and they will see a head coach that will die for the club," he told the club website.

"I will make sure every player will give 100%. If the results are not there, it won’t be for a lack of trying. Don’t get me wrong, it’s going to take time. One thing this club does need is stability. If we get that then I think then we can start to grow things. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

"We’ve got to get back to the basics. I think we’re agving a clean slate here now and the fans, myself, the owener, everyone wants to see this club progress because we all believe that there’s big potential.

"I’m excited. I love managing and being a head coach, I love the league itself. So this opportunity that I have to represent Oldham, to represent a club really that has great history, I’m really looking forward to it."

Kewell has been without a coaching job since being axed by Notts County in November 2018.

"It’s important you learn from you experiences," the 41-year-old said.

"The Crawley situation was fantastic, I absolutely enjoyed it. I had a wonderful time. Then I had that move to Notts County, which again the fans and the staff were execellent.

"But obviously the situation didn’t work out and now I have the opportunity to come to what I think is a huge club and to be able to again show what I’m capable of doing. I’m going to give it my all.

"I’ve only ever heard great things about this club and the staff that have been here."

The former Socceroo says he wants to bring a winning mentality to the Latics.

"We have to create a never-say die attitude, always want to win," he said.

"We have a chance to create young talented players, be able to develop them and see them grow. I’m a firm believer on styles of play, but people figure that out. So you have been to change it up, be able to adapt."