Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers reveals Rangers-linked Kevin Muscat meetings

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Brendan Rodgers has shared the two occasions he has met Rangers manager target Kevin Muscat across his career.

The Celtic manager is set to face yet another new Rangers counterpart in the dugout as the Ibrox club seek to replace Russell Martin.

Martin was hired in June and received plenty of backing from Rangers’ American owners – but his tenure was an utter disaster.

He left Rangers sitting in 8th position in the Scottish Premiership and lost 9-1 on aggregate to Club Brugge in the Champions League play-off round.

Rangers seem close to appointing Muscat and Rodgers was asked if he’d ever come across the Aussie.

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Rodgers on the ‘few times’ he has met Muscat

The Celtic boss revealed he met Muscat at Liverpool training when he was boss of the Anfield giants, and then in Australia when also acquainting with Ange Postecoglou.

Rodgers said at his Friday pre-Dundee press conference: “I think every team that changes manager, you always accept and take on the challenge of new ideas and that freshness that they may bring.

“I don’t know Kevin that well, but I came across him a few times when I was at Liverpool. He came in to training when I was manager at Liverpool and I spent some time with him there.

“Then, of course, when we travelled over to Australia with Liverpool and met him and Ange when I was there. As I said, I don’t know him that well, but he’s done a really good job in the teams that he’s been at in Asia.

“If he’s to be the new manager coming in, then it’s another new challenge. As I said, for us, we’ll be ready for it.”

Rodgers sends Russell Martin a message

Martin goes down as the worst Rangers manager of all time in the eyes of the fans, and it would be easy for Rodgers to ignore his sacking.

But he delivered a message to the former Southampton boss, wishing him all the best for the future.

Asked about Martin’s Rangers dismissal, he said: “I think you’re always disappointed when any manager loses his job and Russell being no different. It was a challenge that he’ll learn from in his career.

“He’s got many more years left as a coach and a manager. I’ve always said, when you manage here at Celtic or Rangers, the pressure really is relentless.

“You find out things about yourself and this role and this job, and I’m sure he would have done that. I wish him all the best, and he’ll probably have a bit of time out and then look to go again and use this experience.”