McCoist: Green can lead the way

McCoist: Green can lead the way

Published Aug. 21, 2012 7:16 a.m. ET

The manager has welcomed the return of leadership at Ibrox following a turbulent period which saw the club forced to call in the administrators, before being consigned to liquidation.

Green already faces a Scottish Football Association charge of bringing the game into disrepute for claiming bigotry was one of the reasons for newco Rangers being denied entry to the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

He also claimed last week that there was "an agenda" against the Glasgow giants.

But McCoist is simply pleased to see someone at the helm again as Rangers continue on the road to recovery following their financial collapse.

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He said: "It's been sadly missing. For about four or five months there was nobody at all.

"There wasn't a director, a chairman, a chief executive - there was nothing really.

"It's long overdue that we have someone to represent the club and fight for the club and we've certainly got that at the moment.

"Knowing Charles the short time that I have, he is obviously a man who speaks his mind.

"He's not afraid to stand up for what he believes is right and I think the Rangers fans deserve that and they have been crying out for that.

"I've not been surprised to see it, I've just been very pleased to see it."

Fans were initially wary of Green, following the ill-fated tenure of previous owner Craig Whyte, but now appear to be warming to the new regime.

Around 32,000 season-tickets have been sold so far despite Rangers playing their football in the Irn-Bru Third Division this season.

Green even posed with fans and signed autographs in the crowd at Ibrox ahead of Saturday's 5-1 win over East Stirling.

McCoist added: "He's endearing himself to the Rangers support in a number of ways and long may that continue.

"The fans deserve somebody who is going to fight their cause and, in the early stages of Charles' career at Rangers, they've got somebody there who will do that."

For McCoist, Green's presence means he can focus on his own job as manager again, having shouldered the burden as the club's unofficial spokesman for several months.

He said: "The last week has just been a different week entirely just in terms of looking forward to games, getting players, and just doing what managers and coaches do.

"That's all we wanted, the opportunity to get back playing again. There is a more relaxed atmosphere around the place with all the staff, which is great."

Asked if Rangers have now turned a corner, McCoist added: "It's going to be a really long road but you have to start somewhere and I just feel that we've started the recovery to hopefully getting us back to where we feel we belong.

"Last week, in terms of season tickets and sales for the East Stirling game, was remarkable.

"Without getting carried away, overall it's been a good week and we've certainly got a starting point now where we can take the club forward."

Rangers travel to Falkirk on Tuesday for the second round of the Ramsdens Cup, before the sides meet again in the Scottish Communities League Cup at Ibrox next week.

The Bairns dumped McCoist's men out of the League Cup last term and the manager is wary of this latest clash.

He said: "We know all about Falkirk. We didn't do well at all last year there in the cup tie.

"In everybody's eyes, I think they are one of the favourites and in many people's opinion they one of the better sides in the division they are in.

"It's a great game for us. All the cup ties will have as much if not more significance for Rangers this season than they have in many years."

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