GRAEME MURTY insists the Rangers squad must believe in themselves more if they are to bring success back to Ibrox under the guidance of a new boss.

The 43-year-old could be set to hand over the reigns sooner rather than later after chairman Dave King confirmed this week the Light Blues were closing in on Pedro Caixinha’s successor in the dugout.

Murty’s side recovered from the back-to-back defeats to Hamilton and Dundee with a 3-0 win over Aberdeen in midweek and now have second place in their sights ahead of the trip to Pittodrie tomorrow afternoon.

The new Gers boss will be given funds to bolster his squad in the January window but Murty reckons there is also more to come from the current crop this term.

He said: “To get to be a Rangers footballer you have to have ability, you have to have character, you have to have a level that is commensurate with the club you are at.

“Regardless of my opinion the new manager will come in and make his assessment of the playing squad because what has happened previously Mark (Allen) and Pedro have brought players in for their particular style and those players have had to adapt and readapt.

“And I have to say that Carlos Pena has had to adapt to a different continent, a different playing styles and adapt to a different manager and these things take time.

“So what will happen is you’ll have to ask the new manager what he sees in the squad. If he asks me my opinion he’ll get my opinion but it’ll be down to the new guy what he wants to do.

“I tell you every time I come in. I tell you that I see a level of performance and ability in the squad but training doesn’t matter, you have to go and put it into a performance and you can’t just do it in one, you’ve got to do it over and over and over again in a relentless manner.

“And if we can do that then great and if they can’t then I’m sure there will be changes.

“But it will only come in the future because I’ve told you every day I see the level these guys train at, I’ve seen what they are capable of. I just don’t know whether they believe in themselves enough.”

The win over Aberdeen on Wednesday night was the highlight of the campaign so far for Rangers after another turbulent spell on and off the park.

Caixinha was sacked following the Europa League defeat to Progres Niederkorn, poor run of Premiership form and Betfred Cup exit at the hands of Motherwell.

And Murty reckons getting into the minds of the Ibrox squad is key if they are to produce better performances and results in the coming months.

He said: “Possibly because every single person questions them on it. There is a level of expectation at this football club. Everyone expects us to be top two and that is fine.

“I have said all along that when things don’t go our way it is really easy to damage confidence and self-belief but what we have to do is support the players.

“I have said to you all the way through, it is about supporting the players and putting them in as good a place as possible to go and perform.

“That is our job. It is also their job, but it is our job to support them when things are going well and when things aren’t going well we need to reiterate what they are great at and give them a foundation to work from.

“If I can do that as a coach, as a manager, then that is a major part of what managing is about I think.”