Rangers striker Kenny Miller wants to become a manager but has set his sights on another Ibrox deal

At 35, the striker may no longer have the burst of pace that was his trademark, or be able to run relentlessly for 90 minutes, often for the good of the team rather than any personal goals, like he used to. Yet his influence at Rangers is still considerable.

He is a key part of the Light Blues squad Mark Warburton has taken to the top of the Championship standings and lead to 14 wins from 15 games so far this term.

But it is not just those around the first team that Miller is helping on the road to success as he passes on the knowledge he has gained in a career that has seen him collect eight medals and 69 Scotland caps.

Miller has started taking his first steps towards a potential career on the other side of the white line by joining the Under-20 coaching staff that is headed by Ian Durrant at Murray Park.

But it is not a move he is ready to make on a permanent basis just yet as he sets his sights on a new Ibrox deal and another crack at the Premiership.

“I am looking to get involved in coaching further down the line,” he said.

“The good thing has been that I’ve been able to do a bit with Durranty with the Under-20s over the last couple of months whenever possible.

“That’s been brilliant, very enjoyable and it’s a good group of boys.

“For me it’s obviously a step I want to make in a few years’ time - not just quite yet!

“It’s giving me a good insight into that ahead of maybe becoming a coach or a manager.

“I definitely have picked up on a few things from the manager. I’ve worked with a lot of managers and you take the positives and the negatives out of everyone you’ve played for.

“There are a lot of things I’ve learned from the current manager, a lot of good stuff I’ll look to implement myself when my time comes.”

If Miller does eventually make the transition into the dugout, he will have plenty of inspiration and experiences from which to draw when he looks to write a new chapter in his tale.

He has played under the likes of Walter Smith, Alex McLeish and Gordon Strachan for club and country as his career has taken him across Scotland, Europe and beyond.

The man currently at the helm has made his own impact on Miller, though.

“He’s right up there with the best,” he said of boss Warburton. “You wouldn’t find a player sitting here having anything negative to say at all.

“Everything’s positive about the place and that’s reflected by the players.

“Every player feels involved and that shows how good the man-management is.

“Obviously everyone wants to play. If they are on the bench they want to come on.

“At the moment, what the manager has created is a real togetherness in the group. I know that’s a bit clichéd, but it’s true.

“There’s a real good dressing room, a real good feel about the place.

“Of course, that comes with winning and playing the way we are. Confidence definitely comes from that.

“But it’s a great dressing room and that’s all down to the manager and Davie Weir since they came in. That they’ve managed to achieve that in such a short space of time is impressive.”

Before Miller will contemplate a move into management, he still has business to attend to on the park this season and, he hopes, next.

He has five goals to his credit from 12 appearances for Warburton’s side so far this term and the Ibrox boss has spoken positively about the contribution Miller has made in his team and in the dressing room.

The first season of his third spell in Light Blue ended in one of the biggest disappointments of his career, but now Miller hopes he will have a chance to bring the curtain down on the stage where he has turned in some of his finest performances.

“There is nowhere else I would rather be,” he said.

“I would love to finish here. Whether that happens or not, we will have to wait and see.

“I am loving it at the moment and I feel I have a job to do this year to make sure we get back to the top flight. It then becomes a new target, which is back to taking the league again.”

With ten wins out of ten games in the Championship so far this season, many Gers fans are confident it will be a matter of when, not if, Warburton’s side clinch the second tier crown.

A trip to St Mirren is next on the agenda tomorrow afternoon before a meeting with Hibernian at Easter Road that could see the Light Blues take a significant step towards the Premiership.

Rangers have left it late as they have battled their way to wins over Falkirk, Queen of the South and Livingston in recent days to extend their winning run.

And that spirit and never say die attitude has been a pleasing factor for the man who has been there and got a few celebration t-shirts in his time.

“Anyone can play when three, four nil up,” Miller said.

“But to keep going for a winner, to grind it out when it would be easier to think ‘it’s just one of those days, we’ll take a draw’ is impressive.

“All the team were right on it. To the last kick of the ball we were still going for more goals.”