Derek Johnstone: Stuart McCall must get Rangers job if he takes them back to top flight

He is trying to secure a job with Rangers, trying to get himself a contract.

Should he achieve promotion and take the Ibrox club back into the top flight over the two games that lie ahead, he is almost a shoo-in for the manager's role.

The club was in a downward spiral when he took over in March. There has been higher intensity in training since his arrival, the players look fitter and the team has been a lot better to watch.

Remember that not one of these players is his. He had to turn round a team that was toiling and has done it - so you can imagine how things might be when he gets the opportunity to bring his own men in.

I would certainly like to see him get that chance. He ticks all the boxes. Stuart and his assistant, Kenny Black, know what it is like to be a Rangers player.

He knows what kind of people are needed to perform in the cauldron of Ibrox and he has contacts down south, which is something Rangers don't have at the moment. There is no scouting system at all and there is likely to be a need to bring in a number of new faces this summer.

If he gets promotion, he has done everything that could possibly have been asked of him. He deals with the media well and the fans can relate to him. From the way the supporters are turning up, I think they would back him 100 per cent if he got the job.

Stuart is now at a club that he has loved ever since he arrived in Glasgow and it is where he wants to be. The only loyalty he has is to Rangers Football Club.

He knew his time was up at Motherwell when he resigned last November ... he had to go.

Of course, part of him will be deeply disappointed for the Steelmen should they slip into the Championship, but he has to get his head down and think about his own club. These are the two most important games of the last three years at Ibrox.

He has a huge beast here that is desperate to get back into the big time and he has to feed it.

He still has friends at Motherwell, but dealing with them is something to approach when the tie is over. I would suggest there will not be much talking between himself and the people at Motherwell before these two games have been played.

Naturally, everyone within the footballing department will have been lifted by the news that Ibrox has been sold out for the first time this season ahead of tomorrow night's match.

The crowds that Rangers have attracted for the play-off matches shows that people are willing to turn out in numbers again, although tickets being priced at a fiver has helped.

I think it is essential, however, that Rangers now go up to the Premiership to keep those supporters coming back. Two or three months ago, I was thinking that, when you consider the extent of the job that has to be done at the club, that another season in the Championship might help the manager.

The longer the season has gone on, though, I have realised that it is absolutely imperative Rangers win promotion. They have got to get back into the Premiership now.

There will be more money up there. I think they will get 35,000 to 40,000 season ticket holders. I don't think Rangers will be challenging next season, but you would be looking for them to get into Europe and that raises extra finances as well.

The manager, whoever it happens to be, will need some degree of finance to bring in fresh talent. Around 11 players are out of contract and a number look sure to leave, but those who are involved in the Motherwell matches should regard them as an opportunity to put themselves in the shop window.

Richard Foster is one of those uncertain about their future, but he has been meriting special mention from McCall for his displays of late and he has been magnificent since he came back from injury.

He is as fit as hell and has played a big role in a number of recent victories. so it would not be a surprise to me if he was to land another deal.

Again, though, Foster and the players still have some major obstacles to negotiate. This is going to be a hard, hard encounter with Motherwell.

The more Rangers fans say that this is going to be a cakewalk, the more pressure it puts on their own team during what is a highly-pressurised time of the season anyway and the more it motivates the opposition.

I have Rangers as slight favourites over the two legs, but they need to play well and I certainly sense that they would have to take some kind of lead from the home match to Fir Park on Sunday.

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