I’m not in the driving seat for Gers job, insists Murty
GRAEME Murty admits he still does not think he is a serious contender for the Rangers job — despite the bookmakers installing him as the new favourite.
The Ibrox caretaker boss has been told he will remain in charge for the next month at least after Derek McInnes snubbed Gers to remain at Aberdeen.
That shock decision has now seen the Light Blues Under-20s boss installed at odds-on to be named Pedro Caixinha’s successor by a number of bookies.
And while Murty would jump at the chance, he still finds the whole prospect of becoming just the 16th man to manage Rangers hard to believe.
“It would be extremely difficult to turn down, but that’s not on the table as far as I understand it,” said the former Reading defender, who is now preparing for his seventh match in charge since taking up the reins six weeks ago with the visit of Ross County.
“I’m happy with that. I’m happy to do the job as best that I can in the interim period.
“I’ll just crack on and do my job. It’s for other people to deprocess cide the level I’m capable of operating at.
“Do I see this next month as a job interview? No, I see it as six games to put the club in a good situation.
“If an outstanding candidate makes itself available tomorrow and the board decide to go in a different direction, I’ll be beholden to them and go and do exactly as they see fit.
“I never thought I’d get this game, but then again I didn’t think I’d get the Hearts game at Murrayfield. It’s my job only to make sure the players can concentrate on what they can control.
“I feel the board trust me to do a job. They’ve asked me to step in and help and I’m more than happy to do that.
“But as for more than that, you’ll have to go and ask the board. They are going through a
Staying on: Graeme Murty remains in interim charge after Derek McInnes (inset) snubbed Gers
but at the end of the day I’m just sitting here fulfilling a role to the best of my ability.”
Gers responded to the news McInnes had decided against returning to Ibrox with a bitter swipe that hinted the Dons boss was not up to managing “a massive club like Rangers”.
But Murty took a more diplomatic line as he was asked for his reaction to the latest twist in what has become a six-week saga.
He said: “Something was expected to happen but it hasn’t.
I’m not going to come out and condemn someone for not taking this role, I’m not going to come out and praise them for seeing their contract out.
“The reality is that someone has made a decision not to come to the football club and I respect that decision.
“But we have to respect our players’ right to prepare right for the game tomorrow and take care of that, because everything else is just speculation.”
Ryan Jack will begin a threematch ban when Rangers host
Ross County after he failed to overturn a red card.
But defender Bruno Alves (knee) is back, while Danny Wilson has shaken off the head knock which forced him off at half-time last Sunday.
Skipper Lee Wallace (groin) has rejoined his team-mates for training but is not quite ready for a return to action, while midfielders Graham Dorrans (ankle) and Jordan Rossiter (knee) will see specialists as Rangers search for an answer to their injury woes.