I NEED POINTS AND NOT PITY

Murty is glad of the messages of support he has received, but he admits nothing other than wins will turn things around at Ibrox

Do I believe in myself? That’s taken a bit of a knock, but it’s not about me

SYMPATHY for Graeme Murty has been in fulsome supply during his 18 days as interim manager of Rangers.

It has come from peers in the new world he has entered. From pundits filling airwaves and column inches. From Ibrox season-ticket holders switched on to the bigger picture.

One thing all seem to agree upon is of how fearsomely difficult a task the 42-year-old has been handed.

Stepping up from Under-20s coach to take control of a first-team squad lacking in both confidence and durability would be awkward at any club.

Factor in the relentless scrutiny of Rangers and it becomes altogether more ferocious.

Results have brought no respite. After a narrow Scottish Cup success over Morton, Murty has experienced 2-1 defeats against Dundee and Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

In the Highlands last Friday night, he watched his goalkeeper save an 86th-minute penalty, only to be undone by a Billy Mckay overhead kick a minute from the end. Right now, Murty is not being favoured by fortune.

The former Scotland international appreciates all the good wishes being sent in his direction. In truth, however, all he wants is to restore a winning feeling to Ibrox when St Johnstone visit tomorrow evening.

‘I’ve been feeling sorry for myself, as well,’ he quipped. ‘It’s very nice to have a bit of support. I had loads of nice messages after the game on Friday night, saying that you deserved to win the game.

‘I even sat in the office with Richie (Foran) afterwards and he said: “Oh my God, for the first 25 minutes, we couldn’t get close to you. You were great”.

‘That’s all really, really nice to hear, but this football club is all about winning football matches. The only way we can turn around public perception is by getting points on the board.

‘There are points to play for on Wednesday and a Scottish Cup match to go and win on Saturday (against Hamilton).

‘We have to make sure we get positive outcomes because, if we don’t, then the negativity will continue in the press or on social media.

‘All we can do about that is take it on the chin and come out with our chests out and our heads up and move on to the next game as well as we possibly can.’

Murty is not about to send up any distress flares. He remains adamant he will continue to do the job to the best of his ability while the board source a long-term successor for Mark Warburton.

That could well see him in the technical area at Celtic Park when Rangers head there on Sunday week.

It is hardly the most appetising prospect in sport, so did anyone advise him to turn down the board’s request after Warburton’s exit?

‘No,’ he insisted. ‘There are loads of people saying it’s too difficult. I have read the phrase “poisoned chalice” in the paper.

‘I am a young coach learning as I go forward. The opportunity to manage a football club the size of Rangers, stature and history may never, ever come again. ‘The opportunity for development and learning, and the chance to help the players in the first-team was something I couldn’t turn down. Not one person I spoke to said: “Don’t touch it with a bargepole.”

‘Every single person I spoke to said to go and do it to the best of my ability.

‘The best advice I have received is to believe in myself and to trust in what we are doing.

‘Do I believe in myself? That’s taken a bit of a knock.

‘Do I trust in what we are doing as a football club? Absolutely. I trust in the processes that are being put in place. I trust in what is going on and that what we are doing in the long term will pay off.’

Murty admits this experience will help him gauge whether he wants a more permanent move into management later in his career. But is there any worry about bad results in the here and now potentially damaging his CV?

‘If I was selfish about it, probably,’ he admitted. ‘But I am not thinking about it. I reiterate I am just thinking about what the team needs. I can’t control what people perceive my CV to be. ‘The people in the staff, the academy and the first-team know the level of work that I do. Am I happy with that? Yes. I’m happy with my level of work and I can look myself in the mirror and be quite content. ‘Am I pleased at the results? Absolutely not. But the level that I have worked at and continue to work at will be reflected further down the line.’ Ultimately, of course, it is down to the Rangers players to perform. The way in which they seemed to fade after failing to score during a dominant start against Inverness pointed to a weakness that has surfaced throughout this season.

‘I wouldn’t say the word “weak”,’ countered Murty. ‘I would say they are finding the transitional period a little bit difficult, as we all are, as the fans are.

‘But we have to make sure no matter what they are feeling, they go and give their best because all they can control is themselves.

‘We can’t control the length of time it takes, or speculation or negativity around the place because of results.

‘We should have won the game on Friday and everything would have been different. The atmosphere would have been different, the questions would have been different.

‘I’ve taken a couple of days to reflect and get things out of my system. My wife and daughter are particularly pleased I’ve brought my work home with me for the weekend!

‘But it’s not about me. No matter how I feel. It’s about making the players get what they want on Monday back at training.’