Harry Kewell has spoken of his desire to create a “winning environment” at Barnet following his appointment at the club.

The Australian has been installed as new manager, with former Wealdstone boss Dean Brennan also arriving as Head of Football and the pair are already planning for pre-season.

Kewell said that creating the right environment was going to be important for the Bees’ success this season/

“We’re constantly on the phone anyway, but it’s our first meeting today to kind of put together what’s happening throughout the season,” he told the club YouTube channel.

“We’re now putting to the pre-season together and obviously going through players and having meetings.

“We’re working hard behind the scenes to get everything right because a season is only as good as its pre-season and you have to get that right, so it’s important for us to get off on the right foot.

“We all seem to be singing off the same same sheet here so which is great. I’m sure there’s going to be altercations between everyone, but that’s what you want, you want to create that winning environment and that’s what we’re trying to create here.”

After a very difficult season in which Barnet finished bottom having won just eight out of 42 game, Kewell knows he has a tough job on his hands, but feels the recently-concluded campaign was more of a reflection of the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, rather than an indication of the state of the club.

He hopes to get the club back to where he feels they belong.

“Last season was difficult for everyone,” he said.

“I think the performance of what Barnet went through was reflecting what the whole nation was going through, so hopefully we can correct that and get Barnet back up to where it should be at.

“But it’s great to be part of this new kind of phase of what the owner wants to bring, with the new background stuff that we’ve got, and to have the opportunity to bring in a squad of what we feel can improve and get it back to where it should be.

“I love this side of the sport. A lot of people say it’s a tough job and it is a tough job, but I love to be involved in a club.

“The opportunity that Barnet has given me to come back into it is something that I couldn’t refuse.”