The most crucial week of Rangers owner Dave King’s reign

Dave King is about to reach a landmark.

Come next Sunday, the South African businessman will have been in charge of Rangers for 100 days.

Yet if that bare fact is significant for a man who spent so long on the outside looking in, he has no time to relish its imminent arrival.

The seven days that precede this personal milestone will be even more important than the previous 93 days as King and the club conduct a firefight to contain an incendiary end to the season.

The introduction of play-offs between Scotland’s top leagues has been hailed as something of a panacea for the game’s ills.

They have provided drama, excitement and end-of-season interest where before those factors could be badly lacking.

Rangers, however, were left with more questions than answers following their participation, with the future of their manager and most of their players shrouded in doubt.

Yes, there were positives to be had from the successes over Queen of the South and Hibs. But that feelgood factor was swept away by their defeat to Premiership stragglers, Motherwell.

It could scarcely have been more ignominious for the Ibrox club.

A comprehensive 6-1 aggregate defeat, and Bilel Mohnsi sparking a brawl after the final whistle.

For many, the Tunisian’s meltdown was a moment that epitomised all that had been wrong with the Light Blues’ season, with the player’s lack of focus and discipline just one individual representation of a group in disarray.

And when the dust settled, that was exactly what Rangers were left with.

Manager Stuart McCall does not know if he will still be there next week let alone next season, and the majority of his players are in the same boat.

What is certain is that a proud club now face the ignominy of another season in the lower leagues.

Yet is King to blame for that and, if so, to what extent? More significantly, what does he now propose to do about it?

Swept into power at the EGM on March 6, the would-be saviour of the Ibrox legions made all the right noises at his ‘coronation’.

He pledged the £16m investment talked of previously would be forthcoming, and insisted a refinancing of Rangers would happen “very, very quickly”.

The devil, however, is in the detail, and as time has dragged on with little obvious progress, supporters have started to complain about the lack of specific information from King and his cohorts.

Rangers will point to hard work being done in the background that will pay off in the long term.

Mark Warburton, the ex-manager of Brentford, hinted at that when he revealed he’d had informal talks with the club about the possibility of becoming manager, a move that would also see Davie Weir return to Ibrox as his assistant.

Likewise midweek speculation of Mark Wotte and Arthur Numan being another potential management team was not without foundation.

Many loose ends, however, remain to be tied up by King before progress can be made.

Not least of them involves the respective fates of Ally McCoist and Stuart McCall, nine-in-a-row legends now seemingly surplus to requirements.

McCall, whose short-term contract is now at an end, has stated he believes his ability to recruit well and get the best out of what he has at his disposal will be what Rangers need next season.

If King and his directors disagree, McCall has a right to be told, and soon.

McCoist, who many argue held the club together at its lowest point and successfully negotiated progress from Leagues Two and One, but whose shortcomings as a manager sabotaged the bid to get out of the Championship, is a different case.

He was placed on gardening leave after handing in his notice last December. But, six months on, the legendary striker remains a financial burden.

How much does he require to call it a day? King has already made attempts to sort this issue out, but still no agreement can be reached.

Even more pressingly, the identity of McCoist’s permanent successor will have to be resolved because it is key to the squad rebuilding that lies ahead.

With many of the best-paid players reaching the end of their deals, there is an obvious opportunity for a clear-out.

Yet as much as fans would welcome a turnover and the further promotion of Rangers’ brightest young talents, all players new and old will have to be fit for purpose.

The talk of another season in the Championship being beneficial which some Light Blues supporters are still trying to convince themselves of is irrelevant.

The club are where they are, and every season that goes by in the Championship will allow Celtic to increase their financial advantage and edge ever nearer the Holy Grail of 10 in a row.

For all of a Light Blue persuasion, that can’t be allowed to happen.

Dave King knows it. And to return to an earlier question, what is he going to do about it?

Of course, Mike Ashley’s continued involvement with the club is high on the EGM, with shareholders being asked if he should get his £5m loan back.

Yes, the next seven days and beyond will be worth watching.