Ladbrokes Thug Life: Melbourne Victory boss is a mentalist

With the A-League back in full swing and available for bleary-eyed football fans to enjoy alongside their porridge most Friday and Saturday mornings, we decided to profile one of the biggest and baddest names to come from Down Under – Kevin Muscat.

Featuring in the first chapter of the new Ladbrokes Thug Life series, that will aim to showcase the ugly side of the beautiful game, the current Melbourne Victory boss is our first addition having distinguished himself as one of the dirtiest players on the planet during a 23-year-career.

Familiar to fans of Crystal Palace, Wolves, Glasgow Rangers and Millwall – clubs that were quite literally his stomping ground from 1996 to 2005 – this entry focuses on one particular infamous incident from the twilight years of his career with Victory.

Picture the scene: it’s January 2011 and the Dark Blues are facing off against Melbourne Heart in a heated local derby that also marked Muscat’s first game back from another lengthy suspension.

Keen to make an impression on opposing player Adrian Zahra, the veteran stopper launched a tackle that is still regarded as one of the worst in the history of the game.

Unleashing a knee-high scissor challenge on the Heart star, Muscat’s angry reaction to the straight red card dished out by the referee still beggars belief and helped establish the defender as one of the most vilified players on the planet, even today.

Banned for another eight games as a result of the tackle, the challenge all but brought the curtain down on a career littered with misdemeanours and heinous on-the-pitch crimes.

In charge of Melbourne Victory for their trip to Adelaide United and fresh from a convincing 4-1 triumph over the West Sydney Warriors, you can back Muscat’s team to come out on top at 19/10 with Ladbrokes.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

Fancy a flutter? Sign up today to claim up to £100 in free bets.