The influential role Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers played in next Rangers manager front-runner's career
The Shanghai Port boss recalled a time when he reached out to Brendan Rodgers for advice earlier in his career
Kevin Muscat is the clear favourite among bookmakers to be named Rangers next permanent manager - but the Shanghai Port boss has two CELTIC gaffers to thank for shaping his career.
The Australian, who had a short stint at Ibrox during his playing days in 2003, has enjoyed a hugely successful start in management after winning silverware in his homeland, Japan and China.
He openly admitted that former Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou has been the biggest influence in coaching after working under him at Melbourne Victory. But the Nottingham Forest manager wasn’t the only manager to “open doors” for the young aspiring coach at the time.
Muscat eventually took over from Postecoglou in the dugout after he was offered the Socceroos job in October 2013.
How Brendan Rodgers helped shape Kevin Muscat’s career in management
In addition to working alongside Postecoglou, the 52-year-old was eager to perfect his craft and learn from the very best managers in the game. He travelled to Europe and spent time watching training sessions at some of the world’s biggest clubs, including Liverpool – who were managed by Brendan Rodgers at the time.
Speaking to the Daily Mail back in 2014 – a few months after taking on the Melbourne Victory job – Muscat recalled: “My thirst for knowledge is great. I went over to spend time with Brendan Rodgers, Frank de Boer at Ajax and Barcelona to gather knowledge and try and create my own philosophy.
“What I tried to do is visit places is places where the coach or managers had a philosophy. I wrote to Brendan to explain who I was and the added connection that Liverpool were due to visit Australia to play us at the end of the season (2014).
“He opened up the doors to me and was more than welcoming. It was valuable to me as well, seeing what he was doing and the style he was playing was brilliant, eye-opening.”