Speculation surrounding the future of Philippe Clement won’t go away until Rangers start winning games consistently and beat Celtic regularly.
Whether or not he is the right manager remains to be seen, however, he is the one that the board currently trust and, without a CEO or sporting director, the Belgian will be in charge for some time yet.
When Clement was appointed at Rangers, it looked like a 50/50 decisions between him and Kevin Muscat, a decision that now looks questionable given the success of the Australian since.
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Kevin Muscat backed for the top after Rangers near miss
After securing a league title in a third different country with Shanghai Port, Muscat’s stock continues to rise, the 51-year old is also out of contract at the end of December, he won’t be short of offers.
A sentiment echoed by his current assistant Ross Aloisi who, speaking to A Leagues, reckons that his boss is destined for the top:
“For me, he is up there with the best because he has the stats to prove it as far as wins go,” insisted Aloisi.
“To win a Championship anywhere is always difficult but the way he’s won them and the football he’s played puts him up there with the best.
“Where will he end up? Anywhere. He can coach anywhere. It’s not just football, it’s the psychology behind everything. The tactical side of things, it’s not just the training session. To play the football he wants to play, there’s a lot of work that goes into it. Video.
“His thought process on analysis and the way he presents to players is something I’ve never seen before, because he thinks of the way a player thinks, so visual. The way he speaks to players before the game, at half-time – it’s an art. A lot of people don’t have that art.
“He could end up anywhere – in Saudi Arabia, the EPL, Scottish Premier League, Europe somewhere at a big club. Everything I’ve said there sums up what type of coach 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.
“There’s no way I would’ve written that story.”
Kevin Muscat’s titles as manager:
| Club | Title | Season |
| Melbourne Victory | A League Championship | 2014/15 |
| Melbourne Victory | A League Championship | 2017/18 |
| Melbourne Victory | A League Premiership | 2014/15 |
| Melbourne Victory | FFA Cup | 2015 |
| Yokohama F Marinos | J League | 2022 |
| Yokohama F Marinos | Japanese Super Cup | 2023 |
| Shanghai Port | Chinese Super League | 2024 |
Muscat could yet make a Rangers return
Aloisi dropping in Scotland as a potential destination isn’t something that has been plucked out of thin air.
Muscat was doubted by some because his success came in an area of the footballing world that many are sceptical about in terms of quality, but Ange Postecoglu – as painful as it is – proved how an identifiable style and approach is transferable anywhere with the right coaching.
He will know that Muscat spoke to Rangers but that the manager with greater experience in Europe got the nod instead.
The manager that he could well replace, if things don’t improve at Ibrox.
