Surely Derek McInnes would, even though it would require hefty compensation to secure his services, be a far safer option

are capable of contributing. Dave King, the Rangers chairman and major shareholder, has assured fans the new man will have money to work with. His budget will be larger than that at any club in the Scottish top flight bar Celtic. If he recruits well his side should, at the very least, finish best of the rest.

But will Caixinha sign sensibly or will he saddle his new employers with more expensive bench warmers? For a club which continues to operate at a loss and relies on the continued benevolence of wealthy supporters like King, George Letham, Douglas Park and George Taylor, putting their faith in a relatively unknown entity is a gamble. It was little surprise when Walter Smith, working as a pundit for Sky Sports at the Rangers game on Saturday, stated that his preferred option would be Derek McInnes, his former player.

Surely, the Aberdeen manager would, even though it would require hefty compensation to secure his services, be a far safer option. The Scot knows the market well and has a successful track record in it.

If Pedro Caixinha does rock up in Govan in the coming days he will be a bold and ambitious choice by Rangers. If he does well they will be lauded for their foresight. If he bombs it could be very costly.

ANDANOTHERTHING...

Graeme Murty confessed that he was unsure where his future as a coach lay after being promoted from the under20 team to the senior side at Rangers following the sudden departure of Mark Warburton last month.

Would he remain involved in the youth ranks? Or would he seek to move into management at some stage? The 42-year-old’s brief spell as caretaker manager at Ibrox has suggested the latter is worth pursuing as he has done well in difficult circumstances.

Yes, the win over Greenock Morton was unconvincing, the defeat to Dundee dire and the loss to Inverness Caledonian Thistle painful. But the wins over St Johnstone in the Ladbrokes Premiership and Hamilton in the William Hill Scottish Cup last week were vital for his club. Murty has altered the team formation from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1 and changed tactics with noticeable results. What is more, he has quickly earned the respect of his players. His talents will be wasted if he returns to coaching kids. TOMORROW Nick Rodger