Chairman pitches up at Murray Park

In this era of uncertainty it seems to have become vital for the main protagonists of Scottish football to leave a legacy. David Murray, the chairman of Rangers, might have hoped his would be a little more subtle.

Murray Park, the unspectacular name of the new training centre at Auchenhowie unveiled by Rangers yesterday does not quite do justice to the ultra-modern majesty of the place. The chairman insists he had no part in naming the facility after himself, and perhaps rightly so, for this was first and foremost the brainchild of Dick Advocaat. Instead, Murray’s directors met in private and decided upon the honour. When their chairman resisted, they would not be swayed.

Murray was happy to move with the times and supply the bulk of the 14 million bill for Auchenhowie’s assembly - assisted by contributions from the Bank of Scotland, Rangers Pools and sportscotland - but it seems as if he felt reluctant to rob Ibrox of its daily vibrancy.

The grand old stadium will stand almost still for 13 days of every fortnight, allowing passage only to directors, secretaries, menial workers and dewy-eyed tour guests.

But this is the way of 21st century football and Murray’s admission that Auchenhowie is "obviously overdue but better late than never" stands as a mild indictment of his competitors’ failure to beat Rangers to it, as well as a reluctance to boast through hyperbole.

There was a tangible enthusiasm among the neutral observers at yesterday’s opening ceremony - including Craig Brown, Scottish Premier League chief executive Roger Mitchell, Scottish Football League secretary Peter Donald and constructor Bill Barr - that this colony would be the first of many in this land, sportscotland having pledged to mimic their Lottery donation of 500,000 given to Rangers for any other club with similar intentions.

Chairman Alistair Dempster stated that such progress would do "an enormous amount for the game in Scotland", and Murray was quick to respond in the same nationalistic vein.

"We are glad to put something in for Scottish sport, because we often follow other countries. This is a very positive step," said Murray. "Scottish football is much maligned, and this is a credit to it."

There was certainly a surprising degree of tartan patriotism emanating from Rangers yesterday. This is, remember, a club that have made plain their desire to seek more lucrative pastures and one which has spent much of the summer relieving their poor relations in the east of their prize assets.

Some Rangers aficionados would prefer their club to be more single minded, but it is encouraging that the people who matter are capable of swimming clear, to a certain extent, of this attitude.

The warmth with which Advocaat greeted Brown was of particular interest. The Rangers manager is more prone to delivering hostile telegrams than easy smiles to national team managers, but this apparent kinship can only be good news for Scotland.

Brown, who revealed that Advocaat will be a guest of the SFA when Scotland play Belgium in Brussels on 5 September, had good reason to enter into the choppy domain of club football yesterday.

As Murray enthused over the prospect of producing one Barry Ferguson every season rather than every decade - "there will be 500 kids here every week, so surely we will get some benefit out of that" - the full importance of the Rangers Football Centre became clear. Not only will these players be reared as Rangers assets, they will be potential Scottish internationals.

In fact, Brown is so impressed by this southern Glaswegian footballing mecca that talks are underway for his own squad to prepare here, rather than at the National Training Centre in Largs.

"Largs is less accessible than this. We have an indoor area the same size but not the same surface. This is a dedicated facility for football."

But the nine outdoor and one indoor pitch at Murray Park are among the least spectacular features of a complex that is perhaps only rivalled in terms of state of the art sports facilities in Scotland by the National Golf Centre at Drumoig.

It has a hydrotherapy pool with an adjustable floor and a range of massaging jets. It has a 150,000 gym in which every piece of equipment is geared to monitor the effort of individual players, and report back to the club doctor Gert Goudswaard. There is an isokinetic chair which helps to rehabilitate injured players by sensing the strength of their muscles and joints. Sandy Jardine, our guide yesterday, refused to confirm rumours that it has already been programmed to say "good morning Michael".

Advocaat has access to a 50,000 video editing suite, while the first team dressing room has an en suite sauna and steam room. "Players in my day used to get steaming in a different way," joked Jardine, overlooking the indiscretions of the club’s recent signing from Hibs.

Advocaat refused to be drawn about the prize for which he so ardently pushed, restricting himself to a remark to the club’s newspaper, Rangers News. "Auchenhowie didn’t happen earlier because the only thought of the previous managers was to invest in the team," Advocaat is reported to have said, in a dig at Walter Smith.

But his chairman was more than happy to crow.

"Money is still the most important thing, but this can help swing an indecisive player to come here," said Murray. "I have been watching the first team squad training this week, and they have a spring in their step. When Craig Moore signed a new contract yesterday he said it was like joining a new club."

A change is as good as a rest, and after last season Rangers certainly needed the change. Mind you, there are worse places than Murray Park at which to rest.