Shanghai Port manager Kevin Muscat has reiterated his commitment to the club’s Asian Champions League campaign amid renewed speculation linking him with the Rangers managerial role.
Muscat, who guided Yokohama F. Marinos to a J-League title in 2022 and a runner-up finish in 2023 before moving to China, narrowly missed out on the Rangers job earlier this year. The Scottish side instead appointed Philippe Clement, who is now under mounting pressure following a draw with Dundee United that left Rangers 11 points adrift of Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic.
In contrast, Muscat has enjoyed significant success with Shanghai Port, securing the Chinese Super League title and lifting the Chinese FA Cup. However, the Australian coach remains focused on his current challenge: achieving success in the AFC Champions League.
Speaking to Titan Sports ahead of a crucial match against Ulsan Hyundai, Muscat acknowledged the team’s inconsistencies in the competition. “In the AFC Champions League, our performance has indeed been inconsistent, which has led to unstable results,” he said. “There are still four matches left in this phase of the AFC Champions League this season. We hope the team can deliver consistent performances, starting with tomorrow’s match.”
Muscat also compared his side to their upcoming opponents. “Ulsan shares many similarities with us this season. Both teams have won their domestic top-tier league titles, and they are about to play in their cup final as well. However, neither team has achieved particularly good results in the AFC Champions League so far.”