Sky Sports Kevin Muscat ‘disappointed’ by Rangers as Philippe Clement successor chat answered before incoming CEO call.

The Australian has been touted as the early favourite to replace the under-fire Rangers boss.

Rangers rejected Shanghai Port head Kevin Muscat for the role before Philippe Clement’s hiring, leaving him “disappointed”.

Craig Moore, an ally, has dismissed the possibility of Clement switching from the Chinese Super League to the Scottish Premiership due to uncertainty over his long-term future at Ibrox. Muscat was interviewed for the Rangers manager’s job after Michael Beale was fired after two successful seasons with Yokohama F. Marinos, but Ibrox officials chose the Belgian.

After a disappointing season, Clement is currently under intense criticism from the Light Blues’ fans, whilst Muscat has won the Chinese FA Cup following a Super League triumph. He is now looking forward to success in the Asian Champions League, after Shanghai advanced to the knockout stage with a 3-1 victory against Korean side Ulsan on Tuesday.

When asked if he still expected Muscat to return, Moore told the Go Radio Football Show, “He is doing wonderfully. His Asian adventure will continue. I can’t see how things would fall into place. I believe there is just one choice if the Rangers pull the trigger, and that is Derek McInnes’ domestic option.

When asked if Muscat would entertain the call, he replied: “At the moment, he has just concluded a Champions League game, which they won 3-1, so they still have games and concentration. I don’t think that phone call will happen. Kevin Muscat interviewed twice for the role before Philippe Clement was hired, demonstrating his strong interest. There have been no continued interactions, even during this time.”

When asked if Muscat was “annoyed” that he was passed over for the Belgian manager, the former Rangers captain responded, “I think anyone who interviews for a job and doesn’t get it is disappointed.” He was disappointed since he thought he could bridge the divide and alter things. That option was unavailable to Kevin but open to Philippe.

While Clement faces greater pressure ahead of the Europa League meeting with Nice, a former Manchester United official has provided insight into the man who might decide his destiny. Partick Stewart, the incoming CEO, will arrive at Ibrox the day after the Premier Sports Cup final against Celtic, with a full in-tray.

And the former Old Trafford manager, who is presently employed by another Premier League club and declined to be identified by The Herald, thinks he will not be bothered about making the “big calls” at Govan: “Whenever you met him, he was down to earth. It was exactly like interacting with any other colleague.

“Don’t get me wrong, he is really sharp. You had to be on your toes, know what you were saying and doing. But there was never a notion of ‘I’d better not speak up here because he’s the CEO’. I like interacting with him.

“At the same time, I don’t believe he’ll be afraid to make tough decisions when they’re necessary. He is a heavyweight athlete. When you work as United’s general counsel, you become one of the club’s most important advisors. You advise the board and the CEO.

“You are aware of all difficulties, whether they are financial, player-related, or commercial. He has handled the legal issues of all of those sectors.

“He is well-versed in player contracts and how the industry functions, which will be useful at Rangers. In addition, he is well-versed in Scottish football and Glasgow. “He is aware of what is happening.”

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