28 Facts About Kevin Muscat

Kevin Vincent Muscat was born on 7 August 1973 and is an Australian former association football player and the current manager of Yokohama F Marinos.

Kevin Muscat returned to Australia in 2005 for the first time since leaving South Melbourne in 1996 to captain Melbourne Victory in the inaugural season of the A-league.

Kevin Muscat's playing style was brutal defence with little regard for accumulating yellow cards or avoiding injury to opponents, a reputation that was so strong that while at Rangers he was never picked for an Old Firm derby due to the perceived risk that his explosive temper causing a major incident or costing Rangers the match by being sent off.

Kevin Muscat ended his A-League career in disgrace after deliberately injuring Adrian Zahra with a disgraceful tackle that was widely describe as an assault by the football media.

Kevin Muscat retired from professional football in March 2011 after Melbourne Victory's 2011 AFC Champions League campaign, citing his growing frustration at his inability to keep pace with the game.

Kevin Muscat briefly rejoined his former club Sunshine George Cross for part of the 2011 Victorian State League Division 1 season.

Kevin Muscat represented the Australia U-23 side at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Kevin Muscat moved from Sunshine to the Australian Institute of Sport in 1990 and was awarded the Weinstein Medal as the Victorian Junior Player of the year.

Kevin 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.

Kevin Muscat obtained a reputation as a 'hard man' at Palace and was constantly targeted by the media and opposing fans for his style of play.

Kevin Muscat remained at Wolves for five seasons before moving to Scotland to join Rangers on a free transfer in July 2002.

Kevin Muscat 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.

In February 2011, Kevin Muscat announced his intention to retire from club football after the conclusion of the 2011 Asian Champions League.

Kevin 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".

Kevin 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 Games.

Kevin Muscat 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.

In 1996, Kevin Muscat was sent off in his first season in the UK in a match involving Crystal Palace and Norwich City after body checking Norwich player, Darren Eadie which then sparked a 21-man melee where punches were thrown.

Kevin Muscat was branded a "lowlife" and a "nobody" by ex-England striker Ian Wright, then of Nottingham Forest, in September 1999.

Wright stepped over the ball to allow Freedman to hit it, but instead Kevin Muscat appeared to clear the ball.

Kevin 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.

Kevin Muscat 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.

In March 2002, Kevin Muscat was sent off after nine minutes in a match against Grimsby Town for elbowing Grimsby striker Michael Boulding.

Wolves lost the match and Kevin Muscat was suspended for three matches following the incident.

In 2003, after only three weeks since signing for Millwall, Kevin Muscat was fined and reprimanded by Millwall after a match against Watford where he gave away a penalty and was sent off for stamping on Watford's Danny Webber.

At an A-league game in October 2006 Kevin Muscat clashed with then Adelaide United coach John Kosmina, knocking Kosmina from his chair while retrieving the ball.

In February 2009, Kevin Muscat "escaped" further sanction by the FFA for stamping on Adelaide United defender, Daniel Mullen, while challenging for the ball.

In January 2010, Kevin Muscat was suspended for two games for elbowing Gold Coast United midfielder, Jason Culina, in an off the ball incident.

In January 2011, Kevin Muscat was sent off for elbowing Adelaide United midfielder, Adam Hughes, in the face while following through on a challenge for the ball.