Kewell has left Crawley Town to manage Notts on a three-year deal.

The club is at the bottom of League Two with five losses and one draw from its first six games.

But Hardy is confident that Kewell can turn Notts around.

"After a thorough process I'm delighted to welcome Harry to the club," he said.

"I'm sure he is going to provide something that this club hasn't seen for a very long time. I was looking for a manager who is also an outstanding coach and Harry's coaching outlook and philosophy was head and shoulders above anyone else I spoke to.

"He has a personal plan for every single player, he has a personal player for every position. When it comes to coaching, he's at a different level to everyone else I interviewed.

"We've played five games - we've still got 40 games to play, we've got 100 points to play for. There's a long, long way to go. I'm not at all concerned that we are bottom of the league. We are here on a journey."

Kevin Nolan was sacked as club manager after just five games this season.

Hardy believes Kewell is a long-term solution for Notts and admits he would signed him to a five-year deal if possible.

"I was really impressed with Harry's ambition," the chairman said. 

"He wants a project, to take a club on a journey similar to Bournemouth and I thought that was brilliant. I see him as the long-term solution to this football club. We've got a journey, we've got a plan and this man is going to deliver it for us."