IAN DURRANT has backed Ally McCoist to make a return to the dugout and enjoy further success as a manager in the future.

The Rangers legend has been out of the game since being placed on gardening leave in December 2014 before he severed ties with the club in September last year.

McCoist won the Third Division and League One titles during his time as Light Blues boss and was a figure to rally round for supporters during the Gers’ off-field troubles.

Former team-mate Durrant was part of the coaching staff under McCoist and Walter Smith and he is confident Rangers’ top scorer will be back on the touchline again.

Durrant said: “I’ve not discussed anything with Ally and he’ll make a decision.

“His love of football will never die, but everyone knows that he has other pursuits with what he can do in the media. When he makes a decision, I’ll speak to him.

“Does he still have the hunger to be a boss? Of course he does.

“He’s a big boy and when he makes his decision, he’ll do it and he’ll be good because he is talented.

“He also had to cope with everything and that was a shame.

“Never say never in football, but someone would have to lose their job for someone to get in.”

Like McCoist, Durrant is currently out of football and will look to make his return to the game in the future.

The 49-year-old left his position as Under-20 boss at Auchenhowie earlier this summer after several seasons on the Academy staff.

And he is keen to take up another position at some stage as he attempts to forge a career as a manager in his own right.

Durrant said: “I’m filling my down time playing golf and enjoying myself.

“I’m watching some games and it’s been different.

“I’ll get involved in the game again, but I’m enjoying things at the moment and enjoying life. The batteries are still being recharged.

“This is my first-time ever having a break from football, well since I joined Rangers as a 15-year-old.

“I think the wife is sick of me already, right enough, but I’m getting my golf handicap down. When the time comes, I’ll get back into it.

“I have always planned to be a No.1. You have to be in the right place and the right position to get it.

“I got one chance at Rangers and we got beat! But I aged about 10 years that week and it was all about experience.

“I would not be confined to Scotland. It would just be where something came up.

“You can’t be choosy in football these days, if a job appeals and whets your appetite, you go and pursue it.”