Murty tells Ibrox men to cut out the strops when they are subbed

GRAEME MURTY has ordered his players never to repeat their substitution strops while representing Rangers.

All eyes are back on the Ibrox team in today’s home game against Hearts — a week on from their Hampden meltdown when falling 4-0 to Celtic amid scenes of infighting.

Events behind closed doors in the dressing room are currently the subject of a club investigation involving Kenny Miller, Lee Wallace and PFA Scotland.

But before those post-match clashes, Andy Halliday and Daniel Candeias were seen angrily contesting Murty’s decision to withdraw them.

Those reactions were one of the issues addressed at a team meeting held by Murty in midweek to try to keep Rangers’ league runners-up ambitions on track.

‘Everyone’s a human being subject to the emotions coursing through their veins,’ said Murty.

‘Being substituted in the biggest game of the season against our biggest rivals is not a nice experience. I understand that.

‘Speaking to the players after those incidents, we’ve told them that while we understand it, we still have a way of conducting ourselves.

‘I appreciate you’re a human being and want to do better and I appreciate you are upset. Great. I don’t want anyone coming off the pitch happy to come off. But we have to conduct ourselves in a better way.

‘I don’t think there is a discipline issue, but it’s a difficult time.’

Murty (right) named Halliday and Candeias as available for selection for the first of five post-split games that will determine if Rangers can improve on last season’s third-place finish.

The wrong response could see the Ibrox side swallowed up by Aberdeen and Hibs in the coming weeks when they had entertained ideas of forcing a title challenge in early March.

But Murty wants them to wipe away the bitter memory of their failure to reach the Scottish Cup final and focus solely on the league.

‘It’s in our hands,’ he added. ‘I said all the way through that this team has the talent and the capacity to finish second. We have been in second place because the team has shown ability and fight. At times, quality.

‘We got our belief knocked badly last Sunday because we didn’t turn up and represent ourselves in a proper manner.

‘But the players have more than enough to grab second spot if they continue to believe and pull in the same direction.

‘This year has been about closing the gap. It’s about making sure we continue the journey from where we have been to where we want to get to.

‘No-one in these buildings talked about a title challenge or about getting on level pegging with Celtic.

‘We talked about improving and making sure we now do what we do better than what we had done previously. We have the capacity in the last five games to perform well and get that second place.’

Murty’s players have been called out for lacking heart and aggression in the Old Firm fixture among a host of barbs to come their way from former Rangers players and fans. That could create a climate of fear ahead of facing a demanding Ibrox today. But the manager said: ‘This is a fantastic club and it’s never stronger than when everyone is pulling in the right direction. ‘The guys on the pitch have to commit to doing it. And it’s hard. ‘But when we do get it right, they earn the reward and it’s worth it.’