Kevin Muscat
Encyclopedia
Kevin Muscat is an Australia
n football (soccer) player who currently plays for Victorian State League Division 1
side Sunshine George Cross
and is assistant coach of Melbourne Victory
. Muscat earned a reputation as a "hard man", with his aggression and passion occasionally boiling over into some violent incidents.
After beginning his professional career in the Australian National Soccer League with Sunshine George Cross in 1989, Muscat forged a successful, albeit controversial career in the United Kingdom
with Crystal Palace
, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Rangers
and Millwall
. He returned to Australia in 2005 to captain Melbourne Victory in the inaugural season of the A-league
.
In February 2011, Muscat announced his intention to retire from professional football after the 2011 AFC Champions League
, citing his growing frustration at his inability to keep pace with the game. In June 2011 Muscat was reconfirmed as assistant coach at Melbourne Victory. In July 2011 Muscat joined his former club Sunshine George Cross for the club for the remainder of the 2011 Victorian State League Division 1 season.
During his international career, Muscat represented the Australia U-20
side at the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship in Portugal
and the 1993 FIFA World Youth Championship
in Australia. He represented the Australia U-23
side at the 1996 Summer Olympics
. After making his full international debut for Australia in September 1994 against Kuwait
, Muscat represented the national side at the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup
, 2000 OFC Nations Cup
, 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup
and the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
.
in 1990 and was awarded the Weinstein Medal as the Victorian Junior Player of the year.
He continued playing in the NSL for Heidelberg United
in the 1991-92 season and then spent four seasons with South Melbourne Hellas. In 1995-96 he was trialled at Sheffield United under manager Dave Bassett
but stayed at South Melbourne. By August 1996 Bassett had taken the helm at Crystal Palace and signed Muscat to the south London club for £35,000. Muscat was part of the Palace team that subsequently won promotion to the English Premier League, defeating Sheffield United in the 1997 play-off final at Wembley
. Muscat made nine Premier League appearances for Palace before moving to First Division Wolverhampton Wanderers for £200,000 in October 1997.
Muscat remained at Wolves for five seasons before moving to Scotland to join Rangers
on a free transfer in July 2002. He was part of the Rangers squad which won a treble of domestic trophies in 2002-03. Muscat's final British club was Millwall, for whom he played from 2003 to 2005. In 2004, he captained Millwall to the FA Cup Final
for the first time in their history.
He missed the final itself after suffering a knee ligament injury in the semi-final against Sunderland
, although the Millwall manager Dennis Wise
insisted on him being presented with a medal. He left Millwall to return to Australia to become Melbourne Victory's inaugural captain in the 2005-06 season. Under Victory manager Ernie Merrick, Muscat, a defender for virtually his entire career, moved to midfield for the 2006-07 season. He remained the captain until 2011.
In February 2011, Muscat announced his intention to retire from club football after the conclusion of the 2011 Asian Champions League. His decision to finish was fast-tracked by an infamous tackle he committed in a Melbourne derby
on 22 January 2011, which resulted in a season-ending eight-week ban from the A-League. Muscat played out his competitive career in the 2011 AFC Champions League
under the captaincy of centre-back Adrian Leijer
, despite having previously referred to the competition as "not all that enjoyable". Muscat regained the captaincy for his farewell match in Melbourne
, a 1-1 draw against J-League side Gamba Osaka
.
Muscat scored on his return to Sunshine George Cross in a 3-1 loss to Altona Magic
in August 2011.
. He made his full international debut in September 1994 against Kuwait
, and went on to make 51 appearances for the national team, including Confederations Cup tournaments in 1997, 2001 and 2005. Muscat captained the national team five times from April 2001 and scored a critical penalty in the 1-0 home leg of Australia's unsuccessful play-off against Uruguay for a place in the finals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup
.
Muscat was dropped from the squad when coach Guus Hiddink
took over in 2005 and played no part in Australia's subsequent qualification for the 2006 World Cup, but was recalled later in 2006 by Graham Arnold
and captained Australia in its 2-0 Asian Cup qualifier against Kuwait. In 2008, newly appointed coach Pim Verbeek selected Muscat in a squad of 22 A-League
based players to prepare for 2010 FIFA World Cup
qualifiers, but he did not play in any subsequent fixtures.
and Norwich City after body checking Norwich player, Darren Eadie
which then sparked a 21 man melee where punches were thrown. Two other players were also sent off in the incident.
Muscat was branded a “lowlife” and a “nobody” by ex-England striker Ian Wright
, then of Nottingham Forest
, in September 1999. Wright claimed he was about to shoot when he heard Dougie Freedman
, Forest's other striker, shout "leave it". Wright stepped over the ball to allow Freedman to hit it, but instead Muscat (who had, according to Wright, merely impersonated Freedman) appeared to clear the ball.
Muscat was dubbed the "most hated man in football" by then Birmingham City
player Martin Grainger
in 2000 after a reckless tackle against international teammate, Stan Lazaridis
. He seriously injured both Craig Bellamy
and Christophe Dugarry, the latter in a friendly international between Australia and France
in 2001 with a sliding tackle from behind. The French manager Roger Lemerre dubbed the tackle "an act of brutality". It was speculated that Muscat’s temperament was the reason he was never selected for inclusion in an Old Firm
derby during his time at Rangers.
In March 2002, Muscat was sent off after just 9 minutes into a match against Grimsby Town for elbowing striker Michael Boulding
. As Wolves went on to lose the match, Muscat was subsequently suspended for 3 matches following the incident.
In 2003, after only 3 weeks since signing for Millwall, Muscat was fined and reprimanded by Millwall after a match against Watford
where he gave away a penalty and was sent off for stomping on Watford's
, Danny Webber
. Millwall chief executive, Ken Brown, formally warned Muscat that he would be sacked if he did not "clean up his act." "Kevin’s actions were totally unacceptable. We have made him aware that such behavior will not be tolerated. Any repeat of such a deliberate, unprovoked, off-the-ball incident will result in his instant dismissal."
In 2004, a lawsuit on Muscat brought by former Charlton Athletic
player Matty Holmes
resulted in a settlement of £250,000 plus costs in favour of Holmes, bringing the estimated settlement to around £750,000. Holmes had to have four operations on his leg following a tackle by Muscat in 1998, and there were initial fears that his leg might have to be amputated. The claim was settled at the High Court without any admission of liability. In a League Cup
tie while at Millwall, he grabbed the throat of Liverpool striker Milan Baros
. Also in 2004, Iwan Roberts
admitted he deliberately stamped on Muscat in a match against Norwich City
in revenge for his attempt to injure Craig Bellamy in 1999. Roberts was subsequently fined and suspended by the Football Association for his comments.
In March later that year whilst playing for Millwall
, Muscat was red carded and suspended for 5 games for a challenge from behind on Sheffield United player, Ashley Ward
which ignited an on-field brawl that involved most players from both teams, including United goalkeeper, Paddy Kenny
who reportedly ran from the other side of the pitch to get involved and was duly sent off along with Muscat. The fracas then continued in the tunnel as both players left the pitch with United manager, Neil Warnock
, claiming that video footage and images show Kenny being attacked by Millwall players in the tunnel. "Paddy Kenny's been headbutted in the tunnel and there's been a player in the tunnel with a bottle in his hand thumping one of my lads."
In December 2005, he was the first A-League player to appear before a FFA
disciplinary hearing and was subsequently suspended for two matches for "violent conduct". At an A-league game in October 2006 Muscat clashed with then Adelaide United coach John Kosmina
, knocking Kosmina from his chair while retrieving the ball. Kosmina responded by grabbing Muscat by the throat, an action for which Kosmina was suspended for four matches.
Muscat's dominant personality and aggressive style did win some admirers in the A-League
, with former England international Terry Butcher
stating "Every manager in the A-League would love to have Kevin, and I'm no exception".
In February 2009, Muscat "escaped" further sanction by the FFA
for stomping on Adelaide United defender, Daniel Mullen
, while challenging for the ball. Due to the referee seeing the incident during the match, as according to A-League protocol, the Match Review Panel had no authority to intervene any further.
In January 2010, Muscat was suspended for 2 games for elbowing Gold Coast United midfielder, Jason Culina
, in an off the ball incident.
In October 2010, Aston Villa
winger Ashley Young recalled he was threatened by Muscat during his first professional match as an 18 year old. "Kevin Muscat said he would break my legs if I went past him," said Young. Their meeting occurred as they were warming up for an encounter between Watford F.C.
and Millwall back in September 2003, but Muscat was sent off for stomping on Watford's Danny Webber
before Young came on as substitute for Watford.
In January 2011, Muscat was sent off for elbowing Adelaide United midfielder, Adam Hughes
, in the face while following through on a challenge for the ball.
In his first match back from suspension, Muscat was then suspended for eight matches following a tackle on Melbourne Heart player Adrian Zahra
in a Melbourne Derby
. The tackle was widely condemned in Australia and around the world, with former Socceroo Mark Bosnich
calling it a "disgrace". The Sun described it as one of the worst tackles in football history.
In a professional career spanning 19 years from 1992 to 2011, Muscat received 123 yellow cards and 12 red cards throughout his time as a professional footballer.
|1994||1||0
|-
|1995||1||0
|-
|1996||5||0
|-
|1997||6||1
|-
|1998||1||0
|-
|1999||0||0
|-
|2000||10||4
|-
|2001||13||5
|-
|2002||0||0
|-
|2003||2||0
|-
|2004||3||0
|-
|2005||3||0
|-
|2006||1||0
|-
!Total||46||10
|}
:
With Melbourne Victory
: A-League Championship: 2006-2007
, 2008-2009
A-League Premiership: 2006-2007
, 2008-2009
With Rangers F.C.
: SPL Championship
: 2002-2003 Scottish Cup
: 2002-2003 Scottish League Cup
: 2002-2003
With Millwall
: FA Cup
: 2004 (Runners-Up)
Personal Honours:
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n football (soccer) player who currently plays for Victorian State League Division 1
Victorian State League Division 1
The Victorian State League Division 1 is the second tier association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and the third nationally, including the A-League...
side Sunshine George Cross
Sunshine George Cross FC
Sunshine George Cross Football Club is an Australian football club from Sunshine, a western suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and plays in the Victorian State League Division 1. Sunshine George Cross have played at Chaplin Reserve after agreement was reached with Sunshine City Soccer Club...
and is assistant coach of Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory Football Club is an Australian professional football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, that plays in the A-League....
. Muscat earned a reputation as a "hard man", with his aggression and passion occasionally boiling over into some violent incidents.
After beginning his professional career in the Australian National Soccer League with Sunshine George Cross in 1989, Muscat forged a successful, albeit controversial career in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
with Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
and Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
. He returned to Australia in 2005 to captain Melbourne Victory in the inaugural season of the A-league
A-League 2005-06
The 2005-06 season was the first season of the A-League, a domestic club competition for football in Australia. After over 12 months without a national professional club competition, the first match in the A-League was played on 26 August 2005...
.
In February 2011, Muscat announced his intention to retire from professional football after the 2011 AFC Champions League
2011 AFC Champions League
The 2011 AFC Champions League was the 30th edition of the top-level Asian club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation , and the 9th under the current AFC Champions League title...
, citing his growing frustration at his inability to keep pace with the game. In June 2011 Muscat was reconfirmed as assistant coach at Melbourne Victory. In July 2011 Muscat joined his former club Sunshine George Cross for the club for the remainder of the 2011 Victorian State League Division 1 season.
During his international career, Muscat represented the Australia U-20
Australia national under-20 football team
The Australia national under-20 association football team, more commonly known as the Young Socceroos, is controlled by Football Federation Australia and represents Australia in international Under 20 or youth football competitions....
side at the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and the 1993 FIFA World Youth Championship
1993 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 1993 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Australia for second time from 5 to 20 March 1993. The 1993 championship was the 9th contested. The tournament took place in five venues: Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide....
in Australia. He represented the Australia U-23
Australia national under-23 football team
The Australia Olympic football team, more commonly known as the Olyroos, is controlled by Football Federation Australia and represents Australia at association football in the Olympic Games...
side at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Football at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The association football competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics was held in Birmingham, Alabama; Washington, D.C; Orlando, Florida; Miami, Florida; and Athens, Georgia....
. After making his full international debut for Australia in September 1994 against Kuwait
Kuwait national football team
The Kuwait National Football Team is the national team of Kuwait and is controlled by the Kuwait Football Association. They made one World Cup Finals appearance, in 1982, managing a draw with Czechoslovakia but losing to England and France. During the match against France, France scored a goal...
, Muscat represented the national side at the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup
1997 FIFA Confederations Cup
-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Awards:-Top scorers:7 goals Romário5 goals Vladimír Šmicer4 goals Ronaldo-References:...
, 2000 OFC Nations Cup
2000 OFC Nations Cup
Solomon Islands and Vanuatu* qualified for Oceania Nations Cup 2000* Fiji were replaced by Vanuatu .-Polynesia Cup 2000:--------------------------------------------...
, 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup
2001 FIFA Confederations Cup
-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Awards:-Top scorers:2 goals Shaun Murphy Éric Carrière Robert Pirès Patrick Vieira Sylvain Wiltord Takayuki Suzuki Hwang Sun-Hong...
and the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place playoff:-Final:-Awards:-Goal scorers:5 goals Adriano4 goals Luciano Figueroa John Aloisi Michael Ballack...
.
Club career
Muscat began his career as a junior at Australian National Soccer League (NSL) club Sunshine George Cross, making his first senior appearances for the club in the 1989/90 season. He moved from Sunshine to the Australian Institute of SportAustralian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
in 1990 and was awarded the Weinstein Medal as the Victorian Junior Player of the year.
He continued playing in the NSL for Heidelberg United
Heidelberg United
Heidelberg United Football Club is a football club based in the northern Melbourne suburb of Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia...
in the 1991-92 season and then spent four seasons with South Melbourne Hellas. In 1995-96 he was trialled at Sheffield United under manager Dave Bassett
Dave Bassett
David Bassett , also frequently known by his nickname of Harry, is an English football manager and a former player....
but stayed at South Melbourne. By August 1996 Bassett had taken the helm at Crystal Palace and signed Muscat to the south London club for £35,000. Muscat was part of the Palace team that subsequently won promotion to the English Premier League, defeating Sheffield United in the 1997 play-off final at Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
. Muscat made nine Premier League appearances for Palace before moving to First Division Wolverhampton Wanderers for £200,000 in October 1997.
Muscat remained at Wolves for five seasons before moving to Scotland to join Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
on a free transfer in July 2002. He was part of the Rangers squad which won a treble of domestic trophies in 2002-03. Muscat's final British club was Millwall, for whom he played from 2003 to 2005. In 2004, he captained Millwall to the FA Cup Final
FA Cup Final
The FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
for the first time in their history.
He missed the final itself after suffering a knee ligament injury in the semi-final against Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, although the Millwall manager Dennis Wise
Dennis Wise
Dennis Frank Wise is an English former football manager and player, and former Executive Director at Newcastle United....
insisted on him being presented with a medal. He left Millwall to return to Australia to become Melbourne Victory's inaugural captain in the 2005-06 season. Under Victory manager Ernie Merrick, Muscat, a defender for virtually his entire career, moved to midfield for the 2006-07 season. He remained the captain until 2011.
In February 2011, Muscat announced his intention to retire from club football after the conclusion of the 2011 Asian Champions League. His decision to finish was fast-tracked by an infamous tackle he committed in a Melbourne derby
Melbourne derby
The Melbourne Derby is currently the only intra-city local derby in Australia's premier Association football competition, the A-League, between the two Melbourne teams in the competition, Melbourne Victory and Melbourne Heart. It is the A-League's first intra-city derby, and although only one...
on 22 January 2011, which resulted in a season-ending eight-week ban from the A-League. Muscat played out his competitive career in the 2011 AFC Champions League
2011 AFC Champions League
The 2011 AFC Champions League was the 30th edition of the top-level Asian club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation , and the 9th under the current AFC Champions League title...
under the captaincy of centre-back Adrian Leijer
Adrian Leijer
Adrian Leijer is an Australian football player who currently plays as a centre back for A-League team Melbourne Victory and is also the Captain of the side.-Early years:...
, despite having previously referred to the competition as "not all that enjoyable". Muscat regained the captaincy for his farewell match in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, a 1-1 draw against J-League side Gamba Osaka
Gamba Osaka
is a Japanese professional association football club, currently playing in the J. League Division 1. The team's name comes from the Italian word "gamba" meaning "leg" and the Japanese , meaning "to do your best" or "to stand firm". Located in Suita, Osaka, the team's home stadium is Osaka Expo '70...
.
Muscat scored on his return to Sunshine George Cross in a 3-1 loss to Altona Magic
Altona Magic
Altona Magic Soccer Club is a football team based in Altona North, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They currently play in the Victorian State League Division 1.-History:...
in August 2011.
International career
Muscat represented Australia at Under-20 level at the World Youth Cup finals in Portugal in 1991 and Australia in 1993, and at Under-23 level at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic GamesFootball at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The association football competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics was held in Birmingham, Alabama; Washington, D.C; Orlando, Florida; Miami, Florida; and Athens, Georgia....
. He made his full international debut in September 1994 against Kuwait
Kuwait national football team
The Kuwait National Football Team is the national team of Kuwait and is controlled by the Kuwait Football Association. They made one World Cup Finals appearance, in 1982, managing a draw with Czechoslovakia but losing to England and France. During the match against France, France scored a goal...
, and went on to make 51 appearances for the national team, including Confederations Cup tournaments in 1997, 2001 and 2005. Muscat captained the national team five times from April 2001 and scored a critical penalty in the 1-0 home leg of Australia's unsuccessful play-off against Uruguay for a place in the finals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
.
Muscat was dropped from the squad when coach Guus Hiddink
Guus Hiddink
Guus Hiddink is a Dutch football manager and former player. He was the most recently manager of the Turkish national football team. He is considered to be one of the best managers of his generation and was the best-paid coach in international football in 2009...
took over in 2005 and played no part in Australia's subsequent qualification for the 2006 World Cup, but was recalled later in 2006 by Graham Arnold
Graham Arnold
Graham James Arnold is a former coach of the Australian national football team. He was appointed to work as an assistant to Frank Farina in 2000. The two replaced Raul Blanco, who was the interim coach in charge after Terry Venables decided not to renew his contract with Soccer Australia after...
and captained Australia in its 2-0 Asian Cup qualifier against Kuwait. In 2008, newly appointed coach Pim Verbeek selected Muscat in a squad of 22 A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
based players to prepare for 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
qualifiers, but he did not play in any subsequent fixtures.
Reputation
In 1996, Muscat was sent off in his first season in the UK in a match involving Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace
- United Kingdom :* The Crystal Palace, an 1851 building in south London destroyed by fire in 1936** The Great Exhibition, the event the building was built for, sometimes also known as Crystal Palace...
and Norwich City after body checking Norwich player, Darren Eadie
Darren Eadie
Darren Malcolm Eadie is a former professional footballer, who made his name as a pacey left-sided midfielder with Norwich City. He later played for Leicester City.-Norwich City:...
which then sparked a 21 man melee where punches were thrown. Two other players were also sent off in the incident.
Muscat was branded a “lowlife” and a “nobody” by ex-England striker Ian Wright
Ian Wright
Ian Edward Wright, MBE is a retired English footballer turned television and radio personality.Wright enjoyed success with London clubs Crystal Palace and Arsenal, spending six years with the former and seven years with the latter. With Arsenal he has lifted the Premier League title and both major...
, then of Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
, in September 1999. Wright claimed he was about to shoot when he heard Dougie Freedman
Dougie Freedman
Douglas "Dougie" Freedman is a Scottish former professional football player who played as a striker. He is currently manager at Championship club Crystal Palace, where he spent ten of his sixteen years as a player.-Barnet:...
, Forest's other striker, shout "leave it". Wright stepped over the ball to allow Freedman to hit it, but instead Muscat (who had, according to Wright, merely impersonated Freedman) appeared to clear the ball.
Muscat was dubbed the "most hated man in football" by then Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
player Martin Grainger
Martin Grainger
Martin Grainger is a former English football player, he was a defender who ended his playing career with Birmingham City in December 2004...
in 2000 after a reckless tackle against international teammate, Stan Lazaridis
Stan Lazaridis
Stanley "Stan" Lazaridis is a former football player. He was predominantly a left winger though he had been known to perform at left-back...
. He seriously injured both Craig Bellamy
Craig Bellamy
Craig Douglas Bellamy is a Welsh footballer who plays as a striker for Liverpool and the Welsh national team. Born in Cardiff, Bellamy was the captain of the Welsh national side for four years after taking over from Ryan Giggs in 2007, but stood down in January 2011 due to constant injuries...
and Christophe Dugarry, the latter in a friendly international between Australia and France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
in 2001 with a sliding tackle from behind. The French manager Roger Lemerre dubbed the tackle "an act of brutality". It was speculated that Muscat’s temperament was the reason he was never selected for inclusion in an Old Firm
Old Firm
The Old Firm is a common collective name for the association football clubs Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow, Scotland.The origin of the term is unclear. One theory has it that the expression derives from Celtic's first game in 1888, which was played against Rangers. However, author,...
derby during his time at Rangers.
In March 2002, Muscat was sent off after just 9 minutes into a match against Grimsby Town for elbowing striker Michael Boulding
Michael Boulding
Michael Thomas Boulding is an English professional footballer. He can play as a forward or as a winger, and had previously been a promising young tennis player, ranking among the top 20 players in Britain...
. As Wolves went on to lose the match, Muscat was subsequently suspended for 3 matches following the incident.
In 2003, after only 3 weeks since signing for Millwall, Muscat was fined and reprimanded by Millwall after a match against Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
where he gave away a penalty and was sent off for stomping on Watford's
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, Danny Webber
Danny Webber
Daniel Vaughn "Danny" Webber is an English football striker who is a free agent following his release from Portsmouth....
. Millwall chief executive, Ken Brown, formally warned Muscat that he would be sacked if he did not "clean up his act." "Kevin’s actions were totally unacceptable. We have made him aware that such behavior will not be tolerated. Any repeat of such a deliberate, unprovoked, off-the-ball incident will result in his instant dismissal."
In 2004, a lawsuit on Muscat brought by former Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
player Matty Holmes
Matty Holmes
Matthew "Matty" Holmes was an English footballer who went in to semi-retirement at the age of 30 due to an injury inflicted by Australian defender Kevin Muscat.-Club career:...
resulted in a settlement of £250,000 plus costs in favour of Holmes, bringing the estimated settlement to around £750,000. Holmes had to have four operations on his leg following a tackle by Muscat in 1998, and there were initial fears that his leg might have to be amputated. The claim was settled at the High Court without any admission of liability. In a League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
tie while at Millwall, he grabbed the throat of Liverpool striker Milan Baros
Milan Baroš
Milan Baroš is a Czech footballer who plays as a striker for Galatasaray and the Czech national football team.In the 2008–09 season, Baroš scored 20 goals in Turkish Süper Lig, the highest total in the league...
. Also in 2004, Iwan Roberts
Iwan Roberts
Iwan Wyn Roberts is a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a striker for a number of English league clubs. The most notable period of his club career was with Norwich City...
admitted he deliberately stamped on Muscat in a match against Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
in revenge for his attempt to injure Craig Bellamy in 1999. Roberts was subsequently fined and suspended by the Football Association for his comments.
In March later that year whilst playing for Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
, Muscat was red carded and suspended for 5 games for a challenge from behind on Sheffield United player, Ashley Ward
Ashley Ward
Ashley Ward is an English retired footballer. He was a centre forward.-Biography:Ward was born in Middleton, Lancashire, the son of a coal mining engineer...
which ignited an on-field brawl that involved most players from both teams, including United goalkeeper, Paddy Kenny
Paddy Kenny
Patrick Joseph "Paddy" Kenny is a footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for Queens Park Rangers in the Barclays Premier League.-Early career:...
who reportedly ran from the other side of the pitch to get involved and was duly sent off along with Muscat. The fracas then continued in the tunnel as both players left the pitch with United manager, Neil Warnock
Neil Warnock
Neil Warnock is an English former footballer who is currently manager of English Premier League club Queens Park Rangers....
, claiming that video footage and images show Kenny being attacked by Millwall players in the tunnel. "Paddy Kenny's been headbutted in the tunnel and there's been a player in the tunnel with a bottle in his hand thumping one of my lads."
In December 2005, he was the first A-League player to appear before a FFA
Football Federation Australia
Football Federation Australia is the governing body for the sport of football in Australia. Before 1 January 2005, it was known as the Australian Soccer Association , which succeeded Soccer Australia in this role in 2003...
disciplinary hearing and was subsequently suspended for two matches for "violent conduct". At an A-league game in October 2006 Muscat clashed with then Adelaide United coach John Kosmina
John Kosmina
Alexander John Kosmina , known as John Kosmina, is a former Australian football player and manager of Polish Australian ethnicity. He was most recently the manager of Sydney FC...
, knocking Kosmina from his chair while retrieving the ball. Kosmina responded by grabbing Muscat by the throat, an action for which Kosmina was suspended for four matches.
Muscat's dominant personality and aggressive style did win some admirers in the A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
, with former England international Terry Butcher
Terry Butcher
Terence Ian "Terry" Butcher is an English football manager and former player. He was a highly successful football player and made his name as an uncompromising defender with Ipswich Town and Rangers in the 1980s. He was also a captain of England and won 77 caps in a ten-year international career...
stating "Every manager in the A-League would love to have Kevin, and I'm no exception".
In February 2009, Muscat "escaped" further sanction by the FFA
Football Federation Australia
Football Federation Australia is the governing body for the sport of football in Australia. Before 1 January 2005, it was known as the Australian Soccer Association , which succeeded Soccer Australia in this role in 2003...
for stomping on Adelaide United defender, Daniel Mullen
Daniel Mullen
Daniel John Mullen is an Australian football Defender who currently plays for in the Hyundai A-League. His natural position is at centre back but he plays regularly at right back at club level....
, while challenging for the ball. Due to the referee seeing the incident during the match, as according to A-League protocol, the Match Review Panel had no authority to intervene any further.
In January 2010, Muscat was suspended for 2 games for elbowing Gold Coast United midfielder, Jason Culina
Jason Culina
Jason Culina is an Australian footballer who plays for the Australia national football team.- Club career :Culina started off with Sydney United under his father, Branko, before moving on to Ajax where he struggled in the reserves. Only after moving to FC Twente did Culina begin to shine at the...
, in an off the ball incident.
In October 2010, Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
winger Ashley Young recalled he was threatened by Muscat during his first professional match as an 18 year old. "Kevin Muscat said he would break my legs if I went past him," said Young. Their meeting occurred as they were warming up for an encounter between Watford F.C.
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
and Millwall back in September 2003, but Muscat was sent off for stomping on Watford's Danny Webber
Danny Webber
Daniel Vaughn "Danny" Webber is an English football striker who is a free agent following his release from Portsmouth....
before Young came on as substitute for Watford.
In January 2011, Muscat was sent off for elbowing Adelaide United midfielder, Adam Hughes
Adam Hughes (footballer)
Adam Hughes is an Australian football player who is currently playing with Perth Glory in the A-League.-Club career:He had a 2 year spell with English club Doncaster Rovers but never found his feet and left the club in 2006....
, in the face while following through on a challenge for the ball.
In his first match back from suspension, Muscat was then suspended for eight matches following a tackle on Melbourne Heart player Adrian Zahra
Adrian Zahra
Adrian Zahra is an Australian football player who plays for Melbourne Heart in the A-League. He started his senior career with Melbourne Knights in the Victorian Premier League, before signing with the Heart in 2010 – one of many Heart players to come through the Victorian leagues up to the top...
in a Melbourne Derby
Melbourne derby
The Melbourne Derby is currently the only intra-city local derby in Australia's premier Association football competition, the A-League, between the two Melbourne teams in the competition, Melbourne Victory and Melbourne Heart. It is the A-League's first intra-city derby, and although only one...
. The tackle was widely condemned in Australia and around the world, with former Socceroo Mark Bosnich
Mark Bosnich
Mark Bosnich is a retired Australian football player and football pundit. He represented Australia 17 times and played for English Premier League clubs Aston Villa, Manchester United and Chelsea.-Manchester United :...
calling it a "disgrace". The Sun described it as one of the worst tackles in football history.
In a professional career spanning 19 years from 1992 to 2011, Muscat received 123 yellow cards and 12 red cards throughout his time as a professional footballer.
National team statistics
|-|1994||1||0
|-
|1995||1||0
|-
|1996||5||0
|-
|1997||6||1
|-
|1998||1||0
|-
|1999||0||0
|-
|2000||10||4
|-
|2001||13||5
|-
|2002||0||0
|-
|2003||2||0
|-
|2004||3||0
|-
|2005||3||0
|-
|2006||1||0
|-
!Total||46||10
|}
Honours
With AustraliaAustralia national football (soccer) team
The Australia national association football team represents Australia in international association football competitions. Its official nickname is the "Socceroos"...
:
- FIFA Confederations CupFIFA Confederations CupThe FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the winners of each of the six FIFA confederation championships , along with the FIFA World Cup winner and the host nation, to bring the number of teams...
: 19971997 FIFA Confederations Cup-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Awards:-Top scorers:7 goals Romário5 goals Vladimír Šmicer4 goals Ronaldo-References:...
(Runners-Up) - OFC Nations CupOFC Nations CupThe OFC Nations Cup is an international association football tournament held among the Oceania Football Confederation member nations. It was held every two years from 1996 to 2004; before 1996 there were two other tournaments held at irregular intervals, under the name Oceania Nations Cup...
: 20002000 OFC Nations CupSolomon Islands and Vanuatu* qualified for Oceania Nations Cup 2000* Fiji were replaced by Vanuatu .-Polynesia Cup 2000:--------------------------------------------...
, 20042004 OFC Nations CupThe 2004 OFC Nations Cup doubled as the qualification tournament to the 2006 FIFA World Cup, except the two-legged final ....
With Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory Football Club is an Australian professional football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, that plays in the A-League....
: A-League Championship: 2006-2007
A-League 2006-07
The 2006–07 A-League season was the second season of the Australian football competition, the A-League. Football Federation Australia hoped to build on the success of the first season and on the interest generated by the Socceroos competing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup...
, 2008-2009
A-League 2008-09
The 2008–09 A-League season was the fourth season of the Australasian A-League association football competition. Two new clubs, North Queensland Thunder and Gold Coast Galaxy had received tentative licences from the FFA but these were revoked for the 2008–09 season on 12 March 2008. Expansion...
A-League Premiership: 2006-2007
A-League 2006-07
The 2006–07 A-League season was the second season of the Australian football competition, the A-League. Football Federation Australia hoped to build on the success of the first season and on the interest generated by the Socceroos competing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup...
, 2008-2009
A-League 2008-09
The 2008–09 A-League season was the fourth season of the Australasian A-League association football competition. Two new clubs, North Queensland Thunder and Gold Coast Galaxy had received tentative licences from the FFA but these were revoked for the 2008–09 season on 12 March 2008. Expansion...
With Rangers F.C.
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
: SPL Championship
Scottish football champions
The Scottish football champions are the winners of the highest league in Scottish football, namely the Scottish Football League from 1890 until 1998 and the Scottish Premier League thereafter....
: 2002-2003 Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
: 2002-2003 Scottish League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
: 2002-2003
With Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
: FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
: 2004 (Runners-Up)
Personal Honours:
- FFVFootball Federation VictoriaFootball Federation Victoria is the state governing body for football in Victoria, Australia. It is affiliated with Football Federation Australia, the sport's national governing body....
Weinstein Medal: 1990 - NSLNational Soccer LeagueThe National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
Papasavas Medal (U-21): 1991-1992 - Melbourne VictoryMelbourne VictoryMelbourne Victory Football Club is an Australian professional football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, that plays in the A-League....
Victory Medal: 2005-2006Melbourne Victory Season 2005-06Melbourne Victory were considered to be one of the future "powerhouse" football clubs in Australia prior to the 2005/06 A-League season, with Socceroos Kevin Muscat and Archie Thompson returning to Melbourne from successful club careers in Europe. It was widely believed that they would be...
, 2006-2007Melbourne Victory Season 2006-07The Melbourne Victory A-League 2006-07 season was their most successful A-League season. They defeated Adelaide United 6-0 in their first Grand Final, winning the Championship, Premiership and qualifying for the AFC Champions League 2008.-First team squad:...
, 2008-2009Melbourne Victory season 2008-09The 2008-09 Hyundai A-League season was Melbourne Victory's fourth season. They finished top of the table at the end of the regular season and defeated Adelaide United in the Grand Final to take their second A-League title.-First team squad:...