McCoist says Rangers ‘take over’ talk is ‘nonsense’

McCoist said he and Smith had always acted in what they believed were the club's best interests. Picture: SNS

The accusations are alleged to have been made by Ibrox commercial director Imran Ahmad, and are now the subject of an investigation within Rangers. They were made on the Rangers Media website under the pseudonym IamRangers.

Manager McCoist and his predecessor Smith, now a non-executive director, were also accused of running Rangers into the ground by failing to cut back on expenditure. But, speaking at his regular Friday conference at Murray Park, McCoist said he and Smith had always acted in what they believed were the club’s best interests, and that he was unperturbed by any of the allegations.

“It didn’t upset me at all, because the vast majority of people will know that they are not true,” he said. “Anything that Walter and I would do is certainly, in our opinions, for the best of the football club. We have in no way, shape or form attempted to take over the football club. I can speak for Walter because I know the man – everything we are doing is to benefit the football. But we are not trying to take it over – that’s absolute nonsense. What we are trying to do is our own wee bit to take us forward.”

Asked if the club’s supporters should take comfort from the fact that there are still men with Rangers’ interests at heart in positions of some influence at the club, McCoist continued: “I would hope so. I’m a lot happier having Walter on the board. This time last year it was all very new to us, but I think it’s fair to say that the supporters have the utmost faith and trust in Walter.

“We will obviously make mistakes, like anybody else would, but any that Walter and I make will be in trying to do the best for this football club. I think that message has to get out to the supporters. To reassure them.

“At this moment in time, no doubt they will be disillusioned. They must be saying to themselves: ‘just what is going on?’ and I can totally understand that. I’m just hopeful that at the end of the inquiry we can give them the answers – and give ourselves the answers – we deserve to know.”

McCoist said he was unable to  comment on other inquiries concerning former chief executive Charles Green and ex-owner Craig Whyte, which could be the subject of legal action. Green has now been replaced, at present on an interim basis, by Craig Mather, whom McCoist expects to meet regularly from now on as he tries to put plans for next season in place.

“I’ve met him a couple of times, but I met him in his new role yesterday and I am meeting him early next week to push ahead with potential budgets and discuss players coming in and out and things like that. I’ll have a more  in-depth meeting with Craig then and we are booked in for Tuesday, when we can hopefully push things forward.

“It’s a new relationship and one that is as new to Craig as it is to me. In all my meetings with him, he has seemed up front and is obviously delighted to have the job. He has been quoted as saying he would like to get it full-time. Time will tell if that develops.

“I have said all along that the most important relationship at a football club is between the manager and the chief executive. I really believe that, so I will be doing my utmost to make it a healthy working relationship and I don’t have any doubt Craig will, too.”

Green had previously spoken of giving McCoist a £10 million budget for next season, and the manager is convinced that his squad needs serious strengthening as they prepare for life in the Second Division. But, while he would be extremely happy to be given that size of budget, he appears prepared to recognise that a more modest sum may be on offer now that Mather is in charge. “I would settle for it,” he said of the £10m sum. “Am I hopeful? That is not a word that springs to mind, but I would be delighted if that was the case. These things will be for next week.

“To be fair to Craig, he is only in the door two seconds. Although it is of paramount importance to the team going forward, he needs a little bit of time.

“We have a big list of players. I’ve spoken to five or six in the last three or four days myself. There is certainly no shortage of goodwill on our part to get players to come to the club. That is an absolute must. We need to get  players in to take us to the next step.”

The obvious worry for McCoist and those responsible for the commercial side of Rangers is that season-ticket sales for next season will fall as a result of disillusionment. “I obviously hope that’s not the case,” he said. “The fans can’t and shouldn’t be kept in the dark.

“I’m obviously hopeful they will receive the results of the inquiry and find out what has been going on. There should then be a plan of attack of where we want to go and how the club is going to get there. That’s what the fans deserve to know at the very least for the support they have given us this year.

“I can totally understand that the fans will be a bit perplexed about just what is going on in terms of the last 11 months. Look, it doesn’t make good reading, does it? It’s not good at all.

“They will need as much information as they can possibly get before making their mind up [about buying a season-ticket]. That goes without saying, I would think. The fans deserve to know, and I would be very hopeful that, after however long it may be, there will be a plan set for them. They would then know what has happened and what we are trying to do in terms of bringing players in. They could then make up their own mind and we hope that would once again be to show incredible support for the club.”