HAMPERED IN THE HOTSEAT
STUART McCALL admits the state of managerial limbo at Rangers has left Ibrox boss Graeme Murty unable to read the riot act to his underperforming players.
The former interim manager believes the man in temporary situ just now has his hands tied over future planning for a host of players either wanting new contracts or loan deals made permanent this summer.
With calls urging the Ibrox board to back Murty with a long-term deal or appoint a new boss growing louder by the day, McCall insists the lack of action is diluting the 43-year-old coach’s impact in the dressing room.
He said: “The current uncertainty takes away Graeme’s ability to go into the dressing room and make, threats isn’t the right word, I prefer demands. “It depends what type of character you are. He’s not able to say that unless there’s improvements then Player A or Player B won’t be at Rangers next season.
“That’s because ultimately he’s not making these decisions at this moment in time.
“If he had a two-year contract it would be different, he could then have some push and be able to make these demands on players regarding long-term things.
“He is still the Rangers manager but he can’t promise things to individuals as the players know he might not be there at the end of the season.
“The biggest part of any football club is recruitment and then it comes down to getting the maximum out of your players. Graeme doesn’t know if he’ll be at the club next season and if he did then it would make things so much easier.
“Rangers can’t afford to be playing catch-up so I’m sure the work will be getting done in the background and players will be getting looked at.”
McCall’s threemonth reign at the end of the 2015 season ended with Premiership play-off failure and he has every sympathy for Murty, advising the man in possession to focus his efforts on the task in hand.
He said: “Graeme’s situation is similar to mine in that you have to try to just make the most of it while you’re there. As an individual you can’t worry too much about your own situation.
“You just have to do the best you can. We all know it will eventually all come down to results.
“If you get the results then it gives you a better chance to land the job, if you don’t get the results then you won’t get it.
“I think Graeme has that mindset, he knows how football can go both up and down.
“There was all the talk before the last Old Firm game that Rangers can catch Celtic in the title race and they could do this and that.
“Then three games later it’s all in limbo once again.
“Now the talk is about a battle with Aberdeen for second place and maybe even with Hibs.
“It shows how football changes so quickly but Graeme can only focus on the here and now.
“He’ll naturally know himself that the better the results, the better chance he’ll have of getting the job.”
Saturday’s draw with Motherwell at Fir Park piled more pressure on the powers that be inside Ibrox to provide a long-term strategy and remove the uncertainty over a future that already has an Old Firm Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden and the battle for second place in the Premiership on the horizon.
McCall recalls his own spell in charge and the problems a lack of forward planning creates.
He said: “There were 11 or 12 players out of contract at the end of the season when I was there and myself and Kenny Black were the same.
“We let them know that every time they go out and play for Rangers they are either playing for a new contract to remain at the club or playing for a contract elsewhere.
“The bottom line is the bare minimum is they should be playing for their very livelihoods.
“Every Rangers player should always be going out there to give their maximum. I had a couple of lads come to me saying they needed to know what was happening.
“I didn’t palm them off but I couldn’t make any long-term decisions because I was only there short term myself.
“So it’s the same with Graeme. He won’t be able to make any long-term decisions on individual players.
“I’m not going to name the player but one came up to see me before the play-offs as his contract was up and he had an offer elsewhere.
“His contract was up and he was hoping for a better one.
“He was worried if he played in the play-offs and got injured then that contract elsewhere wouldn’t be there for him.
“Every play-off game was on TV so it was a chance to make an impact and impress other clubs.
“The player came back the next day and said he had thought about it and decided to play.
“The bottom line is that if you don’t want to play because you’re frightened about getting injured then you won’t.”
McCall, who was most recently in charge at Bradford, also had words of warning for the current Ibrox squad about trying to cement their own futures at the club.
He said: “The players don’t need to concern themselves with who the new manager is going to be or whether it’s going to Graeme continuing.
“They should be worrying about themselves and making sure they are at Rangers next season.
“The only way you get new contracts is by performing on the park so the players don’t have a cop-out.
“They should be focusing on the job in hand as they’re fortunate to be playing for the club they are.
“The next transfer window is going to be huge for Rangers but the question remains as to who will be charged with that.”
‘If Scott Brown had committed that tackle there would be an outcry. It was a shocker and Andrew Davies should be made an example of’