ONE GAME AT A TIME FOR MURTY
ASKED to entertain the prospect of leading Rangers through an Old Firm game at Parkhead, Graeme Murty takes a sharp intake of breath.
His brother-in-law — a Newcastle fan — attended a Glasgow derby once and was ‘blown away’. To date, that’s as close as he’s come.
‘Listen, if I am I am and I’ll try to enjoy it,’ he said. ‘If I’m not, then I’ll be a very interested spectator.’
He is reluctant to think that far ahead. Or make any assumptions. Assuming the caretaker job at Rangers last Friday, the last seven days has been a bewildering indoctrination to life as an Old Firm manager.
Placed in charge for the ‘foreseeable future’, the trip to Parkhead is a mere three weeks away. Yet, right now, operating from one minute to the next is a challenge.
‘I had a day off on Thursday and walked round Loch Lomond with my wife, my daughter and god-daughter,’ revealed Murty. ‘Half an hour into a walk round a lovely part of the world I’m thinking about formations.
‘I’m thinking about shape, I’m thinking about tweaking things.
‘What happens if we lose the ball? What happens if we lose the game?
‘So to say I could be looking at four months down the line? Right now I’m just looking at Sunday.
‘I think it would be incredibly arrogant of me to look further than the next game.’
The game in question is Dundee at Dens Park. A brief conversation with managing director Stewart Robertson and director of football administration Andrew Dickson yesterday brought platitudes, encouragement and offers of assistance.
Currently seeking a director of football to rebuild the football department, however, they could offer no promises. No hints or snippets on what the future might hold.
‘They have been very supportive,’ added Murty. ‘They have asked if I need any help. That is the only message they have given me.
‘They have told me not to worry about anything else. They are getting on with business behind the scenes and I just focus on the team.
‘I feel incredibly lucky and very honoured that the board have trusted me with the position. I didn’t realise the myriad of things the gaffer had to go through on a daily basis.
‘I’m just embracing the experience and trying to get as much learning and growth as I can.’
There is plenty to take in, plenty to learn.
By his own admission the former Reading captain, a personable and articulate sort, came to Scotland to find himself. At Norwich City, he veered between youth development and the senior team and, taking the Under-20 job at Rangers, he hoped to reach a decision one way or the other.
‘I’m looking at players like Kenny Miller now, who I played with, and thinking: “Is someone of that status going to listen to me?”. I said to them: “I can’t make you listen but I hope you listen and buy into the values I give you”. If they don’t, I might as well walk out now.
‘They are looking for clarity and structure and a clear message. What they don’t want is a muddy message.
‘That is what I have endeavoured to give them this week.’
For Rangers, away form in the league has been a consistent problem. A narrow 2-1 win at Dens Park earlier in the season hinted at the problems which, in time, would make Mark Warburton’s position untenable.
Were Murty, almost by default, able to find another gear in places like Dundee, Edinburgh — Parkhead, even — he would make the case for a gig until the summer hard to ignore.
‘As I said previously, it would be incredibly arrogant for me with my coaching background to think that I had a chance of being the permanent manager of Rangers,’ he admitted bluntly.
‘Some of the names that have been mentioned are stellar names and quite rightly because this club deserves a stellar manager.
‘If it works out — then fantastic. I’ll do the best I can until I’m told otherwise.
‘I’m not looking any further than two weeks from now.’
He wants to try management in his own right one day. Most likely at a less pressurised environment than Rangers. Unlikely to feature in a new managerial structure, he has little to lose as interim manager. For now he intends to enjoy a truly unique footballing experience.
‘What is there not to enjoy? The scrutiny is different, the level of interest is different,’ added Murty.
‘But how many people in the history of this club have been able to say they have managed here?
‘To be in that group is something I’m humbled by and I will enjoy every minute of the experience. I made it clear that I might not enjoy the games. I’m like that — I probably won’t enjoy the games.
‘But the experience for experience sake — you have to try and enjoy it.’
It’s not all plain sailing. Dealing with real footballers, real professionals, is a step up from a game of Championship Manager.
‘I’ve just had meetings with players who won’t be in the squad to travel and it’s horrible,’ he said. ‘But it’s something that needs to be done. If you can’t do it, then why get into the game in the first place? Some real good names have told me to pick the phone up to vent, talk or decompress and I’m grateful for that.’
If Dundee goes badly, the pressure on the Rangers board to turn to an Alex McLeish type until the end of the season will increase. If it goes well, then Murty can almost dare to contemplate the improbable prospect of leading Rangers when they play Celtic at Parkhead next month.