Rangers’ interim boss Graeme Murty keen to do things his way at Ibrox
Thursday 16 February 2017 17:44, UK
Graeme Murty says he will not change his personality or approach as he prepares for his second game as interim Rangers boss.
The club's U20 manager is likely to be in charge of the senior side when they take on Dundee at Dens Park on Sunday, live on Sky Sports, after being given temporary command of the Gers squad ahead of last week's Scottish Cup clash with Morton following Mark Warburton's shock exit.
The former Scotland international presided over a 2-1 win at Ibrox, which booked Rangers' place in the last eight, and said he will continue to trust his own instincts for however long he remains in the post.
"I am just as I was, I am fortunate to be in this position and until I am told differently I will do the job to the best of my ability," Murty told RangersTV.
"What I have said to the players today is I am not going to try and be anyone else - I can't do it because I would fail them and I would fail myself.
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"I have shown them a bit of my personality and my values and if I get replaced tomorrow then I get replaced tomorrow but I couldn't hand on heart do the job without telling the team that first."
The 42-year-old retired as a player in 2010 and admitted it is now strange to find himself managing some footballers that he once played alongside and against, but he said he is determined to help improve the players while he has them under his charge.
"It is quite odd managing those I've played with or against, there is Clint [Hill], there is Kenny Miller, there is Martyn Waghorn," he said. "It is difficult in one way and it is not because having played against them or with them you get a little bit of credibility.
"I spoke to Rob Kiernan on Tuesday actually, I had finished the session and I was walking in and he was doing some striking with Lee Hodson. I walked away and left a throwaway comment about technique and he turned round and looked at me and said 'I'll try it.'
"And he tried it and went 'Oh, the ball moves nicely,' and I was thinking that is no different to how I would interact with the 20s players or how I interacted with the 18s at Norwich, it is just understanding the person.
"I was told very early on in my coaching career by the first mentor I had, a guy called Steve Greaves, that people will care what you think if they think you care. I care about the group and I care about the people in the group.
"I care not just about the player but the person, I care about his personal circumstance and I care about his life. Hopefully the first team will get to understand that."
Murty says members of the first team are familiar with him having turned out for his U20 side at different points throughout the season and because of his presence at sessions alongside former boss Warburton.
"Most of them knew me and that is down to the fact we work quite closely with the first team," he said. "A lot of them have been in the 20s squads. We have had Rob Kiernan, Philippe Senderos, Danny Wilson, Joe Dodoo and Harry Forrester.
"I have been round watching the gaffer work, I have been in his analysis sessions so they know me as a face, they know me as an employee and hopefully now they are getting to know me as a person.
"It is about how you relate to people and it is about understanding people and giving them the right tools to do their job."
