Former Rangers manager Walter Smith believes that if the board decide to give Graeme Murty the managerial job on a long-term basis they should tell him sooner rather than later.
The 43-year-old's fate as manager hangs in the balance as the Gers approach the end of the season. Murty has a contract with the club that runs until May this year with the board yet to announce whether he will continue beyond that time.
Smith, who managed Rangers in two spells between 1991 and 1998 and then again from 2007 to 2011, insists that Murty needs to start planning for next season if the Gers want to go on and mount a challenge against Celtic.
And therefore the 70-year-old believes that it would be better for the board to tell him about his future sooner rather than later.
“As I say I don’t know. You would hope if Graeme is the person they are going to give the job to, you would hope they would tell him sooner rather than later", Smith was quoted as saying by the Herald Scotland.
relatedNewsStory
“That was the circumstance he was going to get the job so he could start planning and start going ahead.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen and it’s not my forte, my forte was picking teams but not managers.
“But, as I say, I can’t take away from the importance of Rangers making the right decision in that aspect of it, they cannot make the same mistake that they made at the start of this season.
“If they are going to start to get back at Celtic because Celtic have got everything in their favour, they’ve got stability at their club, they’ve got a terrific manager, they’ve got everything going for them, so it’s a hard task for everyone at Rangers but it’s one they’ve got to meet.”
Smith also took time to speak about the importance of the next Old Firm derby and the remaining games of the season, which he believes will be crucial for Murty and his future as the manager.
“I think it’s one of the most important periods in the club’s recent history, the next couple of months. It’s going to be a really important time for them.”
