WHETHER they take the high road or the low road, someone will be Rangers manager before him.

Graeme Murty has been in charge at Auchenhowie for less than a week but the nuances of life in the Light Blue spotlight have already hit home.

The 42-year-old emerged from a whirlwind weekend as caretaker boss with a win over Morton to his credit. Since full-time at Ibrox, his only focus has been kick-off at Dens Park.

Even when he attempted to take his mind off the job in hand by strolling round the Bonnie Banks, Murty found his thoughts drifting to selections, formations and a Premiership fixture with Dundee that is of huge significance for Rangers.

His appointment as Head Development Squad coach last year saw him tasked with producing the next generation of Gers stars. Now, he is in control of the first team squad following Mark Warburton’s departure last Friday evening.

It is a new set of circumstances and a new challenge for Murty. With matters on and off the park still up in the air, it really is one game at a time right now.

“Pressure is a perceived thing,” Murty said. “You only allow pressure to build if you have acknowledged the possibility of failure.

“Failure for me is not helping the players and not being clear with the players.

“They want to put what has happened in the past behind them and go forward and grab second place as a minimum.

“I have got to get over being scrutinised and make sure I give my best to them so they can perform.

“To be honest no [I haven’t thought about it until the end of the season]. All I’m thinking about is the next game.

“I had a day off on Thursday and walked round Loch Lomond with my wife, my daughter and God daughter.

“Half an hour into a walk round a lovely part of the world I’m thinking about formations. I’m thinking about shape, I’m thinking about tweaking things.

“What happens if we lose the ball? What happens if we lose the game?

“To say I could be looking at four months down the line, I’m just looking at Sunday.

“I think it would be incredibly arrogant of me to look further than the next game.”

Murty may not be considering what the future could hold but the Ibrox board have to have one eye on the here and now and be thinking about their longer-term vision for Rangers.

The walk around Loch Lomond gave the former Southampton and Norwich coach a chance to clear his head but the first steps into the dressing room were most important ones he made in the last week.

The reaction from his newly inherited squad was positive, and Murty is determined to keep his players on board as Rangers strive for Premiership improvement.

“The difference is in your own perception of the group,” he said.

“I’m looking at players like Kenny Miller, who I played with, and thinking is someone of that status going to listen to me.

“I said them: ‘I can’t make you listen but I hope you listen and buy into the values I give you.’

“It is about connecting with people. It is not looking at them as senior pros.

“They will listen to me if they think I can help them win. If they don’t I might as well walk out now. I haven’t had that feeling yet which is a positive for me.

“I don’t think they are looking for me to provide a spark. It is intrinsic, it is built into them.

“They are looking for clarity and structure and a clear message.

“What they don’t want is a muddy message. That is what I have endeavoured to give them this week.”

The conversation with the Ibrox hierarchy last week changed Murty’s life, while the words with his players convinced him he had made the right call to accept their offer.

It is a new test and a new experience for the former Reading and Southampton defender. It is a task Murty is determined to rise to, an opportunity he wants to make the most of.

He said: “Yes [I was vocal as a captain] and the development I’ve had as a coach and the people I’ve worked with has helped.

“I’ve worked with Steve Coppell, Alan Pardew, Mauricio Pochettino and watching Mark work recently - you can’t help but fail to take something from them.

“At one stage you are going to have to address a group of players. I’ve just had meetings with players who won’t be in the squad to travel and it’s horrible.

“But it’s something that needs to be done. If you can’t do it then why get into the game in the first place?

“Yes [I have spoken to people for advice]. But if it’s alright with you guys then I won’t reveal names because they are in posts. I’ve not revealed anything structural or about tweaking and changing.

“It’s been more about them reaching out to me to offer support.

“Some real good names have told me to pick the phone up to vent, talk or decompress and I’m grateful for that.”