Inside track on how 'demanding' Kevin Muscat will get best out of Rangers squad as 'winner' could boss anywhere
Shanghai Port’s head of performance can see similarities between Muscat and former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou
Top Rangers managerial candidate Kevin Muscat is a born winner like fellow countryman Ange Postecoglou, according to an Australian coach who has worked with both managers.
Shanghai Port head of performance Greg King believes the 52-year-old former Light Blues defender would be a successful manager ANYWHERE in the world.
Muscat is the strong favourite to be appointed Russell Martin's successor as the Ibrox officials close in on their new boss, although the Aussie has made it clear he wants to see our the final four matches of the Chinese Super League, where his side are on course to defend the title.
King, who is a key part of Muscat’s backroom staff, is one of three Australian coaches who followed him to Shanghai which also includes Ross Aloisi and Vincenzo Lerardo.
Last season, Muscat created history by becoming the first-ever manager to win league titles in Australia, Japan and China, with his team also breaking the record for the most amount of goals scored in the Super League.
Kevin Muscat similarities to Ange Postecoglou drawn
It was at Yokohama F. Marinos where King began working with former Celtic boss and Nottingham Forest manager Postecoglou and Muscat - where the latter eventually succeeded the ex-Spurs boss.
He reckons there are glaring similarities between them, after providing an insight into how Muscat works.
“I’ve been really lucky with the last two managers I’ve worked with, Ange and Kevin, because they really push and drive those high standards,” King said. “Kevin has a relentless pursuit of being excellent. He is a winner.
“If he thinks someone in the squad or coaching team is taking it easy or a shortcut, he’d be onto it. There’s that side of it.
“Kevin and Ange are definitely similar, especially when it comes to being into sports science and conditioning and curiosity. Kevin always says to me, he’s always wanting to learn more.
“At set times, we have some discussions – whether it’s sports science, in regards to conditioning players or injury prevention or how certain metrics affect performance. He has a good feel for that side of it. Definitely, I feel he has a lot of faith in me to control that area.
“Sometimes it’s harder on me because I have to keep pushing the players and that’s difficult too because generally I’m pushing them to do a lot of things they don’t want to do.
“But we also have the added benefit that most of the players enjoy the football we’re playing and they can see the correlation. Previously, there was still a bit of a feeling that if you play high-possession football, you run less. But the last eight years, that’s changed.
“Players know and they can see the best teams in the world, yes, they score a lot of goals and have a lot of possession, but they work hard. There’s a lot of pressing and high-speed transitions.
“When they see the results, Kevin’s really good at giving them feedback. It’s putting it all together to give the player a lot of positive feedback on how important it is. He has a genuine care for players, staff, the way we play football, the club and club’s image, integrity. A good mixture of both.
“It makes for an environment where you feel you’re part of something that’s really special and you’re going to be a winner. You have to keep trying to be the best at what you do.”
Kevin Muscat ‘could’ manage in the English Premier League
King has no doubt Muscat possesses the right attributes to manage any ‘big’ club in world football.
He added: “How good is he? Kev could be in the English Premier League now. He could end up anywhere – in Saudi Arabia, the Premier League, Scottish Premier League, or Europe. Somewhere at a big club.
“Everything I’ve said there sums up what type of manager I believe he is. He gets the best out of people, but he demands a lot. He’s not rude in the way he does it.”