The Latics have sensationally dismissed head coach Dino Maamria and have replaced him with the owner's friend Harry Kewell. Just when things seemed to be stabilising, the bombshell has caused more unrest among the long-suffering fans. Abdallah Lemsagam revealed that he considerd that 41-year-old Kewell had the “right character and mentality” to take the club forward. Kewell becomes the eighth coach at Boundary Park since the arrival of owner Lemsagam, and he has signed a one-year contract.
Lemsagam said, “We’ve known each other a long time and I’m hoping Harry can do a good job for us. We’ve stayed in contact over time and this is a chance at Oldham for Harry to accomplish something again. I know where I want to go with this club. I have a vision and we’ll take it step by step. I also know Harry's mentality and his character and I know how hungry he is to succeed.”
“It’s hard when you come into a club - you need solid foundations first and you build from there. When it comes to the coaching side, Harry has great ambition and,of course, he wants to prove himself. I like the Australian mentality - they work so hard and are driven. They get to where they want to get because of that. Football is a tough industry - I was an agent for 15 years and owning a club is very different. What we’ve done the last couple of years has been trying to clear debts and it’s not been easy. You have to work hard and I think we’re going in the right direction.”