Kewell: 'It will be difficult - Steve Evans has put together a fantastic team'

Crawley Town manager Harry Kewell is relishing the challenge awaiting them against seventh placed Mansfield Town.
Harry KewellHarry Kewell
Harry Kewell

Mansfield, managed by former Reds boss Steve Evans, travel to Crawley looking to strengthen their place in the play-off places and Kewell is looking forward to the ‘big test’.

He said: “It will be difficult. Steve Evans has put together a fantastic team.

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“It’s a strong team that can easily challenge for promotion, if not the title.

“It’s going to be a big test for us tomorrow, but every game is. We won’t shy away from it and we will play the way we want to play.

“We will have to adapt at certain moments during the game, as will they. It’s a normal game of football but it is going to be a test.”

When in charge during the 2010/2011 season, Evans led Crawley to promotion to the Football League for the first time in their history and guided them to a dream 5th round FA Cup tie at Manchester United.

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However, Kewell insists that he doesn’t aim to emulate any other manager and wants to create his own history.

He added: “Records are there to be broken. I don’t look to emulate anyone.

“I look to set my own targets and my own records.

“He’s a well-known manager in this league and is fantastic at what he can do and it is going to be a test.

“However it’s his team against my team tomorrow. I only worry about my club and what I’m doing.”

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Despite being disappointed with the recent FA Cup exit at Wigan, Kewell believes their week break has given the players much-needed rest, with no injury concerns ahead of the game and a busy schedule.

“We would rather have been in the FA Cup” he said.

“It’s a fantastic cup and we’re devastated not to have progressed but we did play a very tough team.

“However, it was an opportunity to give the players some rest, coming into a difficult Christmas period.

“I’ve experienced it many times as a player, but this is the first time as a coach so it’s a new experience for me but I know what the players will go through.

“It’s exciting times and I’ve given them some rest so hopefully they will come back fresh and ready.”