Kevin Muscat keeping tabs on Rangers crisis but close pal says Ibrox club have missed the boat

Craig Moore believes that former teammate, compatriot and friend Kevin Muscat will be keeping tabs on Rangers' managerial situation with Philippe Clement in the mire - despite being embroiled in a title decider in China on Saturday.

Muscat and Clement went toe-to-toe in the race for the Gers vacancy this time last year when Michael Beale was sacked, with many stating that the Australian would pip the Belgian in the race for the hottest - but that wasn't to be, with Clement instead taking on the job.

Whilst it was a decent start to life in Glasgow for the Belgian, his fortunes have suffered in the Scottish Premiership this season which has already led to calls surrounding his future - and Moore believes that Muscat will be taking notes on whether he is offered the role once more.

READ MORE: Kris Boyd in astonishing Philippe Clement blast as Rangers legend tells some home truths

READ MORE: Kris Boyd rips claims fans Rangers WON'T want to beat Motherwell in cup semi final

Moore praised the former Ibrox star for his managerial prowess, having already won Australia's A-League and Japan's J-League titles. However, he could nab his third major league trophy with a win on Saturday that would see Shanghai Port crowned champions.

And with the former hardman being comfortable in the job, Moore believes that now is not the right timing to make the move to Ibrox - with the correct time having been when he battled it out with Clement for the role. a year ago. He told Go Radio: "If he wins that it would be his third title. But the timing for Kevin [to go to Rangers] in my opinion was when he was going head to head with Philippe Clement for the job.

"Now I'm not sure this is the right timing. He's dealing with a player like Oscar, world class, in the Chinese Super League, the teams have five foreigners who make a huge difference to the first eleven.

"But he knows how to read the room and manage at the very very top. It's huge money out there. But what Kevin potentially would have been able to bring to the table is the Asian market and it's a bigger market than people probably think."