Friday 12 December 2014 16:41, UK
Former Rangers striker Derek Johnstone believes there are underlying reasons behind Ally McCoist’s resignation as Rangers manager.
McCoist has tendered his resignation at the club following a run of poor results that have seen Rangers slip nine points behind league leaders Hearts.
But Johnstone, who twice served as a player for Rangers, was surprised at McCoist’s decision and believes it must have taken "something really bad" to spark his decision.
“I was shocked,” said Johnstone. “You heard Ally saying for the last 18 months, he has a job to do he certainly wasn’t going to be walking away. He was looking forward to taking Rangers back to where they belong in the Premiership so it has hit me very badly today.
“Yesterday at the press conference there was nothing said and there were no indications. Something has obviously happened between yesterday afternoon and this morning for Ally to tender his recognition.”
The Ibrox boss has been under pressure in recent weeks, and faced a verbal backlash from fans after the recent Petrofac Training Cup semi-final defeat by part-timers Alloa Athletic.
Following a 2-0 defeat to Hearts at the end of last month, pressure has mounted on McCoist, and his apparent resignation comes just hours before tonight’s game against Queen of the South in Dumfries.
But Johnstone is full of praise for the manager, and credited him for being a great servant for the club, both on and off the pitch.
“He’s been magnificent for Rangers for three decades,” said Johnstone. “The treatment he received from some fans after the Hearts game at Tynecastle a few weeks ago was ridiculous. It was personal he didn’t deserve that at all.
“It takes an awful lot to get Ally upset. He is thick skinned, he’s taken an awful lot from fans and board members, and they’ve all had a dig at time. He keeps his head held high and he keeps focused on what he wants Rangers to do.
“Yes you might not like some of the things he does, but he doesn’t deserve all the verbal stuff. He wants Rangers back in the top division and that’s the way he was going.
“It must have taken something really bad for Ally to come to this decision."
