ALLY TELLS GERS THEY NEED 4 NEW STARS
Coisty tells Gers board they’ll need to splash out on at least four new players
This next appointment is vital but that’s not to say it won’t be Graeme ALLY McCOIST
ALLY McCOIST believes Dave King and the Rangers board must splash out on at least four quality stars to challenge Celtic.
The former Ibrox boss is adamant Graeme Murty’s future in the hotseat should not hinge on Sunday’s Scottish Cup showdown with Celtic.
But whether it’s Murty or a new gaffer at the helm next summer, McCoist claims they will need serious backing to bring sustained success to Ibrox.
Chairman King insisted in a statement earlier this week that restoring Rangers to the top of the tree was his No.1 objective as he targeted immediate success.
But McCoist reckons that will take hard cash and big backing in the next transfer window.
He said: “It’s a realistic prospect if they continue to support the manager financially in terms of attracting new players.
“It depends also what you mean by instant success. Does that mean winning a trophy or does it mean winning the league?
“For me the next step would be winning a trophy. If that’s to happen then the manager, whoever that may be, must be able to invest in his squad.
“Some of Graeme’s signings have been good and I wasn’t against it being loan signings.
“I thought it made sense. But they certainly, absolutely, need strengthening all over the park.
“Rangers will need at least four players if they want to challenge Celtic for the title next year.
“You can win a cup, with the greatest of respect, with a bit of luck. Anyone can win a cup and that’s been proven over the years.
“Celtic this year have enjoyed the fact they have been safe in the knowledge they are going to win the league. After the European ties they can have the odd draw here and there and it’s not done them any harm.
“Rangers and Aberdeen can look and say if and but – yet I’m of the opinion it wouldn’t have mattered that much because Celtic had a wee bit more where they would have won these games if they needed to.
“For that reason I still think longer term Rangers would need certainly three or four players of good quality.”
McCoist is adamant victory for his old team in Sunday’s cup clash shouldn’t cloud the thinking and said: “Rangers won the game on penalties two years ago and any levelheaded supporter would have said, ‘It is a fantastic result, let’s enjoy it, but we still have miles to go’.
“That has proven to be the case. It will be the exact same at the weekend.
“If Rangers win the game it will be cause for celebration for the players and the staff.
“But the most important thing would be an acceptance that, just because we have beaten Celtic once, that there is a long way to go.
“Equally if Celtic win the game they won’t take their eye off Rangers next season. Big as the game is there is a bigger picture.”
Murty heads to Hampden with doubts over his long-term position.
Chairman King’s statement on the managerial situation did little to bring clarity and Murty knows defeat to Celtic could be fatal in his bid to be boss.
McCoist though reckons the scenario is not that clear-cut.
He said: “The feeling seems to be it’s a defining game and that’s not necessarily correct.
“You have to take a step back and look at it, Celtic are the best team in the country at present. A lot of people would expect them to win the game regardless. It’s probably true if Graeme manages to win he stands a better chance but it would be wrong to judge the man over one game.
“Any fair-minded person would look at his overall performance which has been good.”
Although King spoke of a next appointment in Monday’s season-ticket release McCoist does not believe that means a decision has already been taken.
And he said: “I don’t think so. It would be extremely difficult to keep it quiet if one had been made.
“The timing was perhaps a little bit strange but he hasn’t said Graeme isn’t getting the job and a lot of people are
surmising. His comments are correct. The next appointment is absolutely vital but that’s not to say it won’t be Graeme. People are jumping to conclusions.
“I’ve heard the rumours about Frank de Boer, Derek McInnes has been mentioned again as has Alan Pardew. I don’t know what the board are thinking.
“Should a decision be made before the end of the season? That is only fair to everybody.
“Graeme has handled himself really well both in the dugout and away from it.
“And it is only fair that he knows where his future lies, whether he goes back to the Under-20s or gets the job full
term. The Rangers fans deserve to know.”
McCoist also no issue with the next appointment possibly defining the legacy of the board.
He added: “I can certainly tell you in comparison to some other boards they’ve been very good in terms of their support for the fans and the manager.
“But they will be determined by, effectively, how much the club progresses and how successful they are.”
Ally McCoist was speaking at a William Hill media event. William Hill is the proud sponsor of the Scottish Cup.