KEVIN MUSCAT AND ANGE POSTECOGLOU COMPARISONS HAVE MERIT
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- 22 minutes ago
- 3 min read
There’s been a strange degree of mockery or manufactured optimism, depending which papers and websites you choose to read today, regarding the prospect of Kevin Muscat possibly becoming the next Rangers boss.
The Australian, who has been hailed by some of the Ibrox hoarde as “a true Rangers man” despite only playing for them for about 10 minutes, has a similar outlook to the game as his mentor, and the man he replaced at Yokohama F-Marinos, Ange Postecoglou.
These comparisons are being dismissed by some, but I think they have merit and Celtic should approach a Kevin Muscat led Rangers side with caution, if indeed that’s what we end up facing in the League Cup Semi Final in a few weeks.
Kevin Muscat and Ange Postecoglou Both Know How to Get the Best Out of What They Have
Now, am I saying that Kevin Muscat and Ange Postecoglou are on the same level as managers? No, at least not for the time being.
Ange proved by doing what he did at Celtic, despite the Board’s reluctance to fully back him, and then winning the Europa League with Spurs (one of the few clubs in Europe that might be an even bigger basket case than Rangers) that he is a manager worthy of his place at the top level. It speaks to the absolute entitlement of that pathetic excuse for a football club and its fans that despite winning their first trophy in years, he still got sacked.
Muscat hasn’t done any of that yet. However, he has built quite a successful reputation for himself over here in East Asia, just as Ange did before him.
He won the J-League with Yokohama F-Marinos the season after he replaced Ange as head coach, continuing with a similar high-tempo, relentlessly attacking, high risk/high reward style of play.
That has now carried on into his latest job in the Chinese Super League as manager of Shanghai Port.
Muscat has once again exceeded expectations in his new job, just as he did in Japan previously.
Much like Rangers, Shanghai Port are the smaller the club in a city with two large football teams, and also like Rangers, they are less than 20 years old.
Muscat managed to win a league and cup double with them last season.
Now, does success in the country that gave us memorable Celts like Du Wei a measure of a manager’s ability to manage in Europe?
Definitely not.
However, overcoming the massive financial and fanbase advantages that Shanghai Shenhua have over his current club is an alarmingly similar dynamic to the challenge he would face if he took over at the current incarnation of Rangers.
He might not have the street cred, beyond his past reputation of being an occasional thug on the park, which will always impress some down Ibrox way. However, Muscat is a manager whose stock is on the rise and who, until recently has largely flown under the European radar.
Reminds you of a certain other affable Australian who came to Scotland from Asia with very little expected of him, doesn’t it?
A Note from the Writer:
Friends, thank you all for reading the ACSOM Blog. If it’s not too much of an imposition, I have a favor to ask of your all.
This year, as I have done for the past 3 years, I am taking part in the “One Foot Forward Charitable Challenge. I will walk 500km during the month of October to raise money for Mental Health research.
If anyone would like contribute, you can do so at this link: https://www.onefootforward.org.au/fundraisers/LiamCarrigan/one-foot-forward
Thank you everyone. Even the smallest donation could make a massive difference.