There are two worthy possibilities to be the future manager of Rangers, but one is more appealing than the other.
It could have started to feel like a drawn-out procedure. However, the type of talks Rangers have been having about their next manager alone indicate improvement for the team.
It looks like Philippe Clement or Kevin Muscat will take over as Michael Beale’s replacement, barring any unexpected developments. Positively, both have a lot going for them in the Ibrox club. Above important, their profile implies that knowledge from last November has been internalised within the Rangers hierarchy. When, following what appeared to be anything but a thorough search, they finally found Beale, who was effectively a rookie manager in his first few months as a front-line coach.
The Englishman was hired in November of last year, with Stewart Robertson serving as chief executive and Douglas Park as chairman. Now, those positions are held by John Bennett and James Bisgrove, and it seems these powerbrokers have taken care to focus their chase on those who, unlike Beale, have trackside acumen.
Football teams from Clement and Muscat have a hard-earned reputation for being innovative and captivating. Both have won titles with two different teams: the Australian adversary has won a championship with his current team, Yokahama F Marinos, and previously with Melbourne Victory. The Belgian has won titles with Genk and Club Brugge. Furthermore, they have refined their approach through managing a minimum of three clubs. It was slightly different from Beale joining Queens Park Rangers for 22 games before receiving an invitation to rejoin Ibrox, where he had assisted Steven Gerrard during the masterminding of an undefeated league-winning campaign in 2021–2022.
At first glance, the 49-year-old Clement seems to be the most qualified contender. Muscat’s achievements are not as valuable as his three Belgian titles, which he obtained in 2019 after defeating the underdog Genk and winning the next two at Brugge. These are the J-League from the previous season and two A-leagues with Victory (his defending champions are now sitting second with five games left in the season). Despite how strange it may sound, Muscat may become more attractive as a result of this reality.
Despite a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia, Clement is reportedly keen to make a big impression at a European team so he can leave Monaco, which fired him in June after 18 months in command. However, given that Muscat must perform well at Ibrox due to the 50-year-old’s failure in his only previous attempt at life on the continent—a miserable six-month stint at Belgian club Sint-Truiden in 2020—his desperation to succeed with Rangers is bound to pale in comparison.
An effective fuel can be desperation. Additionally, Muscat’s desire at Ibrox would be bolstered in a way that Clement’s would not be, given his awareness of the stakes for his coaching career. The Belgian’s resume would not appear any more impressive with any titles in Scotland than those previously held. Although having familiarity with the local topography won’t instantly improve Rangers’ struggling team, Muscat’s background as a 2002–2003 treble-winning player during his brief playing career at Ibrox would guarantee he wouldn’t be surprised by the intensity and demands of the role. Naturally, his coaching journey to Scotland also aided his
coach Ange Postecoglou effectively. It should never be forgotten that the money obtained from Celtic’s player trading strategy allowed him to spend over £40 million on transfer fees in order to completely restructure the team during his first season. A luxury that neither Clement nor Muscat will enjoy.
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