THE lessons have been harsh but the experience has been invaluable for Graeme Murty. It will come to an end sooner rather than later but he will look back with fondness once again when he has time to reflect on the highs and the lows, the wins and the defeats.

His first spell as interim manager of Rangers was a step into the unknown. He knew what he was walking into this time around, but he has once again become accustomed to expecting the unexpected.

Back-to-back wins over Hearts and Partick Thistle saw Murty steady the ship, but Rangers would plunge to new depths as Hamilton and Dundee inflicted consecutive Premiership losses.

Now Murty is aiming to complete another personal brace and follow up the 3-0 success against Aberdeen at Ibrox with another crucial victory when he takes his side to Pittodrie tomorrow afternoon.

It could prove to be his final match in charge as the Light Blues board get set to complete their search for Pedro Caixinha’s successor in the dugout.

Events over recent weeks have tested Murty. They have also improved him.

“I think my own learning is never assume that the players know,” Murty said. “Never assume that the players understand.

“I think because the guys speak different languages, that is something that has been critical and I have had a wonderful staff.

“For example, Carlos (Pena) came in and played ten. I don’t speak very good Spanish, Carlos’ English is coming on, but the pictures painted by the staff in terms of areas and structure were there for all to see.

“It was ‘there you go, that is what it needs to look like’. It doesn’t need language.

“Having that level of support to make things as clear as possible for players is the major thing I am going to take away.

“The players don’t like grey areas, they like clear, concise instructions and then support in their ability.

“When they are on the pitch, it is not about my opinion about what pass they should play, they have to be given the freedom to play the pass they see fit, albeit within a certain game plan.”

The blueprint that Murty devised in midweek allowed Rangers to produce their finest performance of the campaign and earn their most significant victory for some time.

His decisions to recall Bruno Alves and Pena and to utilise Ross McCrorie as the anchor in a midfield diamond paid dividends as Aberdeen were well beaten.

Murty has been reluctant to take the acclaim when things have gone well in recent weeks but he took the successive Premiership losses to heart. He was due a moment of personal vindication at Ibrox.

“More than anything it’s the satisfaction that I was true to what I saw,” Murty said. “It would have been really easy to go safe and not change, I’ve no doubt if it hadn’t of worked I’d have got pilloried.

“But we saw something as a staff and I saw something I’d like to try and do. To do that we had to change slightly and change the personnel slightly, ask some people to do a different job and thankfully it worked out.

“But as for personal things you only succeed as an individual if everyone goes and puts those elements together. So I thank the players for their input in that as well.

“It goes back to the first spell in charge when we played Hamilton and we won 6-0. I took Kenny off at half-time against some very firm advice, I have to say, and I got absolutely slaughtered all over social media which upset my wife and my little girl, but it paid off.

“And I can’t do what other people think, I can’t do what other people say, it has to be something you believe in or you won’t give it your best, I won’t give the players my best and they won’t believe in what I’m doing if I don’t believe in it myself and I wouldn’t be true to them and that wouldn’t be fair on them.”

If Murty is indeed asked to step out of the dugout and make way for the new man at the helm next week, he will do so with the thanks and gratitude of both his players and the Ibrox crowd.

After ending his first stint in charge with a draw at Parkhead, it would be fitting if he could close the second chapter by getting a result at Pittodrie.

The managerial uncertainty could have offered his players a get out clause. Now, the future offers them an opportunity.

Murty said: “I think that it would be really, really easy for people outwith this building to look and say that there are excuses for performances on the pitch.

“The players took away any reason on Wednesday for anyone to question them. But what they did was hopefully show themselves and the fans that we have good operators at a good level and it is a really, really good job for someone to come into.

“Whether the guy comes in tomorrow, Wednesday, whenever he wants, the players’ only job is to make themselves undroppable for him.

“If they do that on Sunday they have put in a really, really good performance again and maybe even exceeding the levels we went to on Wednesday. If they do that then I’m sure the next guy coming in will have a big smile on his face.”