JIMMY Nicholl is expected to complete his move to Rangers as assistant manager this week and join the Ibrox club on their warm-weather training break in Florida during the winter shutdown.

The former Manchester United, Rangers and Northern Ireland midfielder will finalise the deal to become Graeme Murty’s No.2 following constructive talks.

The 61-year-old is currently assistant at Ladbrokes Championship club Falkirk as well as to Michael O’Neill with the Northern Ireland national side.

Stewart Robertson, the Rangers managing director, confirmed an older coach would be brought in to help Murty when the former Scotland defender was confirmed as manager until the end of the season last month.

Nicholl, who won the Premier League twice and the League Cup three times during his two spells at Rangers in the 1980s, has vast experience in the dugout.

He was in charge at Stark’s Park in 1994 when Raith Rovers stunned Celtic to win the League Cup and has since managed at Millwall and Cowdenbeath. He as also been assistant at Aberdeen, Dunfermline, Hibernian, Kilmarnock and Northern Ireland.

Paul Hartley, the Falkirk manager, confirmed Nicholl had been given permission to speak to Rangers at the weekend. Nicholl is expected to be in the dugout in the Championship game against Dunfermline at East End Park this afternoon before moving on.

Rangers will fly out to the United States this weekend and will play in two games in the Florida Cup, against Atletico Mineiro on Thursday week and then Corinthians two days later, in Orlando. Nicholl will be with the party.

Gordon Dalziel, who was Raith captain when the Kirkcaldy club lifted the League Cup, believes it is a shrewd appointment by Rangers and tipped Nicholl to help lift the Ibrox dressing room and enable Murty to get the best out of his players.

“I have got a lot of time for Jimmy,” said Dalziel. “I had some great times playing under Jimmy in the latter part of my career at Raith Rovers.

“At the beginning, Jimmy and I didn’t see eye to eye. But we developed a fantastic relationship which we still have today. He made me captain of his cup final winning team. We also won the league. I have a lot to thank him for.

“What Jimmy will bring is a fantastic atmosphere to the dressing room. He also gets the best out of his players. He isn’t the sort of coach who will take about tactics, shape and formations. He believed you were good enough to go out and win on the park.

“No, Jimmy was more the kind of coach who brought everyone together. He made sure the dressing room was right. I think that is what he will bring to Rangers. You can’t buy that. Every player will tell you that you need that to be successful.”

Dalziel added: “I was at Rangers when Jimmy arrived from Canada for his first spell at Ibrox as a player. His professionalism was unbelievable. He had obviously played for Manchester United and he commanded so much respect.

“But I don’t think the fact that he is a Rangers man and knows the club having played there in the past matters a great deal. What is important is that he knows how to get the best out of individual players.

“He will bring so much to the party. His man management is fantastic. I think he will be a great success at Ibrox. They will benefit from having him involved.”

Meanwhile, Rangers have been linked with moves for Scotland centre half Russell Martin, who has not been featuring at English Championship club Norwich City, and Marcus McGuane, the Arsenal and England Under-19 midfielder, during the January transfer window.