Kevin Muscat certainly caused a stir during his time in Britain playing for Millwall, Wolves, Crystal Palace and Glasgow Rangers.
The combative Aussie, who has retuned to his home town of Melbourne to play for Melbourne Victory in the A-League, was a renowned hard-man who never shirked a challenge nor pulled punches as opinion on his style was divided.
After a tackle on
Birmingham City’s Stan Lazaridis, who was an Australian national teammate, the Blues winger said: “He's a committed player. I'm sure the
Wolves players and fans love him."
However, opinion on Muscat was split and Birmingham left back Martin Grainger was less charitable in his assessment of his fellow defender.
"He is probably the most hated man in football,” Grainger said back at the turn of the century.
"The bottom line is what goes around comes around. There will be someone nastier who will get him one day."
Nevertheless, despite the controversy that dogged Muscat throughout his time in Britain he was a fans favourite at his four clubs and is now revered at Melbourne Victory.
Now 35, the fire is still burning brightly within Muscat but he is more reflective as he recalls his time in the British Isles and his reputation as something of a hard man.
“All I’ll say is that ultimately everyone’s got the right to forge an opinion of anyone,” Muscat told www.goal.com.
“I certainly have got opinions of different people but ultimately I’m very comfortable with myself and with my career.
“We all make mistakes. I challenge anyone who suggests they’ve never put a foot wrong or made a mistake – I’ve certainly made my fair share.
“Ultimately you look back and think ‘could I have done that a little bit differently?’ Anyone would say that they might have changed things slightly.
“I was able to fulfil a dream playing professionally abroad for ten years, I made some very good friends and both my kids were born in the UK.
“With a lot of these things you go along in your career and take them for granted but I’m sure when the day comes that I decide to hang the boots up, those memories will certainly mean a lot more to me.
“It was certainly very cut-throat in the UK. It certainly is not a league where you’re going be nursed along.
“You’ve really got to think on your feet and it’s sink or swim basically. Half the battle is to do with what your character is like and you learn a number of lessons very early on that are going to shape your career.”
So what’s the real Kevin Muscat like? Find out more later on Givemefootball.
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