KEVIN MUSCAT didn’t take any prisoners as a snarling, no-nonsense defender.
So you can only imagine the Rangers players will be feeling a tad apprehensive ahead of the arrival of their next manager.
Muscat’s Wiki page provides an astonishing account of the ugly side of his far-travelled playing career.
It’s a truly remarkable rap sheet for a footballer.
At various points he was branded ‘lowlife’ and ‘brutal’.
One publication dubbed him ‘football’s dirtiest-ever player’.
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Another glowing tribute from an opponent saw the ex-Aussie international slated for being ‘the most hated man in football’.
Former West Ham ace Matty Holmes, someone I know, sued Muscat in 2004 for a tackle which left him requiring FOUR operations and ended his top-flight career aged just 30.
Holmes was told he was lucky to avoid his leg being amputated.
A £750,000 High Court settlement was reached without any admission of liability.
Muscat’s 19-year pro career saw him pick up more cards than your average magician amid shocking accusations of stamping, elbowing and alleged leg-break threats.
You get the picture. Muscat wasn’t exactly a shrinking violet.
It’s an attitude you have to imagine he has carried into management, albeit he’s no longer flying into tackles.
And that’s one aspect that could prove successful with this under-achieving Rangers squad.
Was it purely a professional persona?
An adapted, ruthless character once he crossed the white line but off the field a completely different nature?
With boots on he succeeded in establishing a fan profile of an on-pitch terminator.
And this brutal, physical, win-at-all-costs approach didn’t fail him in terms of career achievements.
He’s got 46 caps for Australia and was a Treble winner with Rangers in 2002-03 — although admittedly a fringe player with only 29 appearances.
As a manager he’s established an impressive CV in Australia, Japan and China, winning titles and cups and being inspired by ex-Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou.
There was one disappointing spell during his short tenure at Belgian outfit Sint-Truidense which led to the sack in 2020.
But, essentially, he’s been on the rise as a manager.
The gut feeling — whatever the perception of Muscat — is he could prove a good appointment.
In 2022, I was Down Under for Postecoglou’s ‘Homecoming’ trip with Celtic and a chat with then Sydney FC boss Steve Corica — who played for Wolves and Leicester — about Muscat proved illuminating.
I asked him about his former Aussie team-mate’s credentials for the Ibrox hotseat and he responded without hesitation.
Corica said: “He’s a very good coach and very thorough.
“Wherever he’s gone he’s won trophies. I have no doubt he’d do a great job at Rangers.”
Time will tell, of course.
He could crash and burn like Russell Martin, Philippe Clement and Michael Beale.
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But a ruthless, intimidating mindset mixed in with shrewd man-management could see him spark dramatic improvement.
Either way, I’m not getting the impression the Muscat era at Ibrox is going to be dull.
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