IAN MURRAY has urged the next Rangers boss not to make the same mistake as Pedro Caixinha and ensure Kenny Miller is an integral part of his Ibrox blueprint.

The Portuguese was sacked last week as the defeat to Motherwell and draw with Kilmarnock proved to be the final matches of a disastrous seven month reign.

On Saturday, Miller returned to the Gers squad and captained the side to a 3-1 victory over Hearts as Graeme Murty took interim control of the Light Blues.

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And former Ibrox defender Murray has backed the 37-year-old to be a key influence on and off the park for whoever assumes control next.

He told SportTimes: “Everybody knows that Kenny is an excellent player first and foremost and that he has had an excellent career.

“He is not a troublemaker by any stretch of the imagination, not at all. He will have an opinion, which is fine because every player does, and he will voice it.

“But he is not the type of guy to go around initiating things to go against the manager. I would be surprised if that was the case because it is not something I would associate with him at all.

“I think the new manager won’t be as stupid as to make the same mistake. If he doesn’t fancy him as a player, for whatever reason, that is fair enough.

“I think players appreciate that. If you sit Kenny down and say ‘this is the way I am going’ and you are honest, players like that and that is not a problem.

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“It is when you push them to one side and try to manipulate things a bit that you get problems. I don’t think the new manager, whoever it is, will do that.”

Miller turned in a match-winning performance at Murrayfield as he scored twice and set up Josh Windass as Rangers came from behind to clinch a crucial Premiership victory.

Murray was a team-mate of the striker as they made their respective breakthroughs with Hibernian and he isn’t surprised to see Miller continue to shine in the twilight of his career

He said: “I think again Saturday just shows how fond everyone at Rangers is of Kenny. He is one of these guys you are happy to see score goals.

“I watched the highlights and they were good goals, especially his header, and the players were delighted for him.

“You could see when he scored there was no animosity to the past manager. It would have been very easy for Kenny to celebrate in a manner that showed something against the last manager but he didn’t do it, he didn’t need to do it.

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“He will just be delighted to be playing and he got two on Saturday so I am pretty sure he will be playing this weekend.

“He has done remarkably well over his career. A lot of players when they break in early in their career, they don’t last until 35 because they start so young and their body can’t take it.

“Kenny started when he was 17, 18 at Hibs in the first team and he is still playing at 37.

“There are not many players that have done that. Davie Weir played until he was 40, but he didn’t start until he was 21, 22.

“Kenny started very young and has put his body through a lot but he still looks fit and sharp.”