The Shanghai Port boss held conversations with the Ibrox chiefs before Danny Rohl landed the job
19:41, 28 Nov 2025Updated 19:44, 28 Nov 2025
Shanghai Port boss Kevin Muscat
Shanghai Port boss Kevin Muscat has vowed to keep the content of talks with Rangers secret to protect the “integrity” of his former club and himself.
The ex-Ibrox midfielder saw a return to Glasgow collapse before Danny Rohl was named as boss. The Shanghai Port boss emerged as the clear frontrunner to replace Russell Martin after positive discussions with owner Andrew Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe of 49ers Enterprises. But a whirlwind 24 hours amid growing concerns from inside Ibrox over the arrival timeline of the Aussie saw the move fall apart – despite Muscat agreeing a deal in principle.
The 52-year-old had been expected to see out the Chinese Super League season in the midst of a title fight – which would have seen him unable to leave the Far East until November 22 – with speculation Neil McCann would come in on an interim basis before joining Muscat’s coaching staff. But shortly after the collapse, Rohl was named as the new head coach.
The German has gone on to enjoy a positive start at Ibrox while Muscat has been rewarded with another Chinese Super League title. The 52-year-old showed his lingering loyalty to his former club as he took a vow of silence on the discussions.
Discussing his future, Muscat told The Australian: “I’m contracted for another year here. Plans are under way to retain the title again next year.”
He was then pressed on the talks with Rangers. He said: “I want to protect the integrity of the conversations. I haven’t made comment and I won’t make comment in the future.”
Muscat has doubled down on the stance from the boss in the midst of Port’s title celebrations. He said he held “real positive talks with some really good people, real professional people.”
He added: “What’s important is I think everybody’s comfortable now, Rangers seem to have moved on and we’ve won the championship, so I think it’s best just left alone.”
Muscat has set his sights on another Chinese title – as he took aim at his cynics: “I remember when we first arrived, they said ‘You can’t win the league. It’s impossible to win the league playing that style of football’
“We shattered that by breaking every record possible in the Super League last season.
“And this season, the guns were pointed firmly again by saying: ‘Well, with all the players that you’ve lost, it’s impossible. ‘
“We’ve broken that down in a fairly emphatic style as well.” Hopefully next year, there’ll be another reason why we can’t go on and win the tournament – and we’ll prove everyone wrong again.”