Neil Warnock has backed Stuart McCall to quickly prove he is the man to take Rangers forward.

The former Sheffield United boss gave McCall his first taste of coaching when he named the former Gers midfielder his No.2 at Bramall Lane.

It proved to be a perfect match as the pair helped mastermind the Blades' 2006 promotion to the Premier League.

Both men quit a year later after the Yorkshire outfit were relegated, but Warnock saw enough in those early days to believe the former Bradford and Motherwell boss will make a success of himself once more at Ibrox.

The nine-in-a-row icon has taken charge of the club for their final 11 games of the Championship season and will then hope he can clinch the job permanently by steering them through the play-offs and back to the Premiership.

Warnock said: "I'm really pleased for Stuart, I think it's a great appointment. And I'm pleased for Dave King - I don't think he could have got anybody better.

"Stuart is conscientious, loves the club and has served his time at Motherwell. I told him he should have left Motherwell a year earlier because he did such a brilliant job there.

"But he was so loyal to them and that is another quality he has got - he's a loyal person.

"So I just think it is a fabulous appointment and he will love it. Hopefully he will do well and they will give him a longer contract.

"It's an appointment that nobody can lose on because I think he's got a great chance of taking Rangers back up to the top division.

"He's done the right thing by taking it to the end of the season because he can now show the club just how good he is."

Warnock was an interested spectator as Rangers took on Celtic in last month's QTS Scottish League Cup semi-final at Hampden.

But he was disappointed to see Kenny McDowall's side put up so little fight as they lost 2-0 to their bitter rivals.

However, the ex-Crystal Palace, Leeds and QPR boss insists McCall will soon fire up the struggling Light Blues, who have won just three of their last 10 games.

"I think Rangers have got a good squad - they have just not had any direction really," he said.

"I was up for the Old Firm game last month and they lack a bit of pace up front.

"They just need to be better organised. I thought they could have given Celtic a much tougher game than they did that day.

"The players will get behind Stuart - but at the same time he won't suffer fools gladly. He demands the respect of the players. I went to see him a couple of times at Motherwell and that was obvious to me.

"It's a great move by Rangers and I wish he and the club all the best."