Yokohama Mariners coach joins Shanghai Harbor
Unsurprisingly, Yokohama Mariners boss Kevin Muscat was hired by Shanghai Harbour, the newly crowned Chinese Super League champions, as the AFC Champions League group stage came to a close. Following Javier's dismissal, all eyes immediately focused on Muscat's style and leadership. After all, it is difficult to be at the helm of a championship-winning team, and any mistakes are hard to accept. The challenge of sustaining progress and building on that success was clear.
The main reason why Muscat accepted the Shanghai team's offer was that the salary terms offered by the Shanghai team far exceeded those of other clubs. As previously reported, a number of clubs, including Australia and Japan, had expressed interest in Kevin, but Shanghai's sincerity ultimately impressed him and led to the partnership. Muscat is also interested in coaching the Chinese Super League champions and his tactical philosophy coincides with the club's vision.
With the addition of La Liga-caliber players such as Oscar, Wu Lei and Vargas, Shanghai's attacking power has improved significantly. This advantage is further emphasized with the support of the national team's backline. As a result, Muscat was happy to join the team because he has been in need of reliable scorers to boost the team's efficiency, and Shanghai can fulfill the demand in this regard. In addition, Muscat has a lot of experience in developing foreigners, and I'm sure the Shanghai team has already reached an agreement with him on the introduction of foreigners for the new season before the cooperation talks.
For Muscat, joining the Chinese Super League has similarities and differences with the K-League. The similarities are that the Chinese Super League focuses on interpersonal relationships and a team culture with Chinese characteristics, something Muscat should have largely adapted to. He is also familiar with the policy of developing young players. The difference is that South Korea is probably more specialized in youth training at all levels, so Muscat arrived in Shanghai and quickly visited the local youth training base.
Local media reported that Muscat spoke highly of the Shanghai team's youth training work. He believes that the youth training level of the Shanghai team has exceeded his expectations. After watching the U21's match against the first reserve team, he was impressed with the team's performance and could remember the name of every player who performed well, which showed his quality as a professional.
For the Harbour, they have high hopes for Muscat's arrival. As a coach who studied under Postgrove, he has a proven tactical style and character, much of which is internationally relevant, which will go a long way in reforming and developing the Super League champions. What's more, his vast experience in the K-League and Asian competitions has given him a deep understanding of the realities of the game. After winning the Super League title, they are aiming for the AFC Champions League, and the addition of Muscat will undoubtedly help in realizing this goal, which is also the focus of his work.
Muscat will reportedly enjoy a short vacation after announcing his joining to spend Christmas with his family, and then will quickly return to the club to devote himself to training and coaching. Next, he will work his magic, not knowing whether he can lead Shanghai into a new phase or face some challenges, which all need time to prove. The warm-up match in Haikou will be an opportunity to test his ability.
