Kevin Muscat was branded “the most hated man in football” by an opponent during his playing days, but the Australian hopes perceptions are changing after making his mark as a coach.
England-born Muscat had a successful playing career as a tough-tackling defender with the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Millwall and Crystal Palace, and won 46 caps for Australia.
However, he was also involved in a series of controversial on-field incidents and was sent off 12 times.
Photo: AFP
In 2001, France coach Roger Lemerre described a crunching Muscat tackle that injured forward Christophe Dugarry as an “act of brutality.”
Now 48 and manager of a Yokohama F Marinos side playing attacking soccer in Japan’s J-League, Muscat said that he is keen to “be judged separately,” adding that “the perception is maybe starting to change in people.”
“I want to be involved in teams that play a certain brand of soccer and that maybe contradicts what most people perceive to my playing days,” Muscat said.
“I’m trying to forge my own way in terms of the way I coach, the way I manage and the way my teams play... That’s really all I can do,” he said.
Muscat began his managerial career at Melbourne Victory, and following a stint in Belgium, took over J-League champions Yokohama last summer after fellow Australian Ange Postecoglou left to join Scottish giants Celtic.
Muscat took Yokohama to a runner-up finish last season ahead of Vissel Kobe, and after seven games this season they are second again, having snuck four goals past champions Kawasaki Frontale and winning plaudits for their fluid attacking style.
However, more than changing impressions about himself, Muscat also hopes the same can be said about Australian coaches, and he wants to see more of his compatriots given the chance to manage overseas.
After a slow start in Scotland, Postecoglou has propelled Celtic above fierce Glasgow rivals the Rangers and taken the Bhoys to a Scottish League Cup title.
“It’s not doing any harm that Ange is at the forefront of people’s minds now, and hopefully that transcends,” Muscat said. “Hopefully, over a period of time, more Australians get opportunities not only in Europe but also in Asia.”
Muscat’s two worlds collide tomorrow when Australia play Japan in a crucial FIFA World Cup qualifier in Sydney.
He said that he is “a little bit torn.”
Muscat has been mentioned as a potential future Australia manager, but he said he is enjoying the “good challenges” of managing in the J-League and believes the change in environment “adds more to your armory in the way you coach.”
“I haven’t found it difficult, because I look upon these things as a challenge,” he said of working “90 percent through translators.”
“What gets removed is the one-on-one emotion side of things with the players, but I’m working with a very good translator and I’m able to transfer as much of the emotion in the conversation as possible,” he added.
Taiwan’s Lee Hao-yu on Friday went 0-for-3 in his MLB debut for the Detroit Tigers against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, becoming the 19th Taiwan-born player to reach the big leagues. The Tigers ultimately lost 1-0 in 10 innings, ending their six-game winning streak. The 23-year-old started at third base and batted eighth for Detroit. He was promoted from Triple-A Toledo ahead of the four-game series against the Red Sox at the latter’s home stadium, replacing injured utility player Zach McKinstry. “Being right-handed, and given our schedule, I think six of the next 12 games are going to
Matheus Cunha on Saturday fired Manchester United toward the UEFA Champions League with a 1-0 win at Chelsea, while Tottenham Hotspur remain in the relegation zone after twice blowing the lead to draw with Brighton & Hove Albion. Chelsea failed to take advantage of a United defense ravaged by injury and suspension as a fourth straight league defeat for the Blues left their Champions League hopes in ruins. United have missed out on the riches of Europe’s elite competition for the past two seasons, but are closing in on a return thanks to an upturn in fortunes under interim manager
Italian soccer is at its lowest ebb in nearly 40 years after a wholesale European exodus at club level followed the nation’s failure for the third successive time to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, and compounded a leadership and structural crisis. The exits suffered by Bologna and ACF Fiorentina on Thursday in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League respectively meant no Italian teams are left in European competition this season. Italy’s last remaining UEFA Champions League contenders, Atalanta BC, went out in the round of 16 last month. It is the first time since the 1986-1987 campaign that Italian clubs
The Detroit Tigers’ Lee Hao-yu on Monday collected his first and second MLB hits in their 8-6 loss to the Boston Red Sox. The Tigers’ No. 6 prospect, who batted eighth, had an RBI single and a double in four at-bats at Fenway Park, raising his batting average to .182. “He was super thrilled to get his first hit,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said after the game. “There’s only one first, you know, and for him, it’s been a couple of games where he’s really been wanting to do it. I’m glad he did it here.” “Young guys settle in when they start
RSS