By support

20th Feb, 2018 | 10:09am

Kevin Thomson: This is how Graeme Murty is following Walter Smith Rangers blueprint

Former Rangers midfielder Kevin Thomson believes Gers boss Graeme Murty is doing something “similar” to when Walter Smith returned to Ibrox in 2007 and building a British spine for his side.
After replacing Pedro Caixinha in October, Murty added six new faces to his squad in January with five of those signings being Scottish and the sixth being German-born Englishman Sean Goss.
When Smith took over following Paul Le Guen’s disastrous reign, the iconic Gers boss brought in stars like Thomson, Davie Weir and Ugo Ehiogu.
Thomson thinks Murty is “invested” in getting players who understand the enormity of playing for the Ibrox giants.
“Graeme has changed to going British, hasn’t he?” Thomson said, as quoted by The Herald.
“It is similar to what Walter did when he took over from Paul Le Guen. Walter tried to change it to British, to get people who knew what it was to play for Rangers.
“He had one of the best already there in Barry [Ferguson] and he had to get the best out of Barry, put players around him to do that, and it made for a successful team. I think Graeme is invested in trying to do something similar.”
The Gers have won six of their seven games since the winter break as they have closed the gap to Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership to nine points and overtaken Derek McInnes’ Aberdeen in second-place in the table.
Thomson recently returned to Ibrox as a member of the Academy coaching staff, working with the Under-13’s, after previously being interviewed by Pedro Caixinha for a role in his backroom team but losing out to Jonatan Johansson.
The 33-year-old spent three years with the Gers after his move from Hibs in 2007 and lifted two Scottish titles, two League Cups and a Scottish Cup as well as playing in the 2008 UEFA Cup final defeat by Zenit St. Petersburg.
In other Rangers news, Windass shares brilliant WhatsApp exchange with Barjonas prior to Gers win.