Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson says club are searching for a director of football

STEWART ROBERTSON believes this will be the last time Rangers have to rip up their blue-print and start again.

The Ibrox managing director is leading the search for a new manager after Mark Warburton’s sudden departure last week.

With Gers trailing Old Firm rivals Celtic by a huge 27 points, the Englishman’s successor will have a major transformation job on his hands if Gers are to make themselves more competitive next term.

Chairman Dave King criticised the out-going boss’ performance in the transfer market at the weekend, blasting the fact that many of the club’s 11 costly summer signings have failed to make an impact.

But he will look to mitigate the threat of a repeat by appointing a director of football to oversee Gers’ recruitment policy.

Now Robertson hopes that will ensure the Light Blues enjoy more seamless transitions when they change bosses in future.

He told the club’s official website: “As a club we want to be a modern football club, and we see that sometimes when managers leave a lot of the structure leaves with them.

“That is no use, you put a lot of time a lot of investment and a lot of resource into developing that side of the business and you can’t have that changing every time a manager changes.

“The director of football gives you that continuity. They oversee the overall football department, all aspects of it, including the academy, performance and preparation, analysis and everything as well as the first team.

“It means then that if a manager or a coach does leave, you are only replacing that one person and the clubs philosophy continues unbroken if you have that Director of Football there.

“We haven’t at this stage spoken to anyone about the manager or director of football roles. We are just gathering the facts and we will take our time as they are two key roles.

“We are really focussed on making sure that we get the right people and I’d rather take an extra week to make sure we have the right people, than to rush into anything.”

Former Gers boss Alex McLeish remains the frontrunner to land the job on an interim basis.

But Derek McInnes, who is also being tipped alongside Tommy Wright, Billy Davies and Frank De Boer, has denied suggestions linking him with a return to Rangers.

He said: “My only concern is about focusing on Aberdeen.

“Rangers are a strong club with a lot of tradition and there will always be people interested in that – but my concern is on Aberdeen.”

Under-20’s coach Graeme Murty was placed in charge for Sunday’s 2-1 Scottish Cup win over Morton and is likely to be in charge again when the Glasgow giants head to Dundee next weekend.