Third time lucky? Kevin Muscat firming as next Rangers boss

Another Australian coach appears set to land a big job in Europe, with Kevin Muscat emerging as the front-runner to become the new manager of Scottish giants Rangers.

Multiple reports from Scotland and China, where Muscat is based – as well as a source contacted by this masthead – say the former Socceroos and A-League legend is in negotiations to replace Russell Martin at the helm of the Glasgow club.

The 52-year-old is on course to win the Chinese Super League for the second successive year after steering Shanghai Port to a record-breaking title in his first season as coach in 2024.

That achievement made him just the second Australian, after Ange Postecoglou, to lift silverware as a coach in three different countries.

Muscat has been identified as the primary candidate for the Rangers job after other contenders, including former manager Steven Gerrard and Sheffield Wednesday’s German coach Danny Röhl, dropped out of the race, while Chinese media claims Shanghai Port is already working to find a replacement for him.

As a player, Muscat was part of the Rangers squad that won the domestic treble in Scotland in the 2002-03 season. He was first mentioned as a possible coaching target as long ago as 2017, when he was still in charge of Melbourne Victory, the club he also captained to A-League grand final wins in 2007 and 2009.

Muscat became Victory boss after working as an assistant under Postecoglou, who vacated the position to take charge of the Socceroos in 2013 and ensured Muscat would be installed as his successor – an experience Muscat has described as fundamental to his progression as a coach and the formation of his tactical ideals.

He followed in Postecoglou’s footsteps a second time in mid-2021, replacing him as coach of Japanese club Yokohama F. Marinos. He won the J.League title in 2022 and finished second in his other full season in charge.

Postecoglou, of course, left Japan to coach Rangers’ bitter rivals Celtic between 2021 and 2023, winning five of the six domestic trophies available to him during his time in Scotland.

This is the third time Muscat has been seriously considered by Rangers, who formally interviewed him two years ago before going for Philippe Clement, while earlier this year, he was reportedly “on their radar” but was overlooked again for Martin.

Now Muscat looks set to finally get the chance to coach his former club, although it may be some weeks until he takes charge of his first game.

There are four games left in the CSL season, and Shanghai Port sit top of the table, two points clear of second place. If he gets the Rangers job, it is likely an interim coach will take over in Glasgow until the Chinese league wraps up towards the end of November, because Muscat is not interested in leaving until after the title race is over.

Rangers would not be Muscat’s first experience in Europe. In 2020, he became the first Australian to coach a men’s team in a major European league when he was appointed at Belgian side Sint-Truidense, but was sacked after just six months due to poor results.

Postecoglou is facing the same fate at Nottingham Forest. Saturday night’s (AEDT) clash against Chelsea could be a potentially decisive moment, with a heavy loss likely to spell the end of his brief tenure there.

Postecoglou is without a win in his first seven games, and Forest have reportedly sounded out Sean Dyche as their next manager should they decide to cut their losses and sack the Europa League winner.