Ally on Boyd breaking his record, Walter, not doing telly,

[Boab 73]

ALLY McCOIST is the heir to Rangers' managerial throne but no longer the clown prince of Ibrox.

The man Walter Smith says he wants to succeed him has revealed in an exclusive interview with Record Sport the changes responsibility has made to a personality who once captivated television viewers nationwide but is now focused on being the best dad, and the best servant to Rangers, he can possibly be.

McCoist has also spoken about his reaction to Kris Boyd one day overtaking his goalscoring record for Rangers - and spoken up for the Ibrox supporters he feels have been wrongly reviled over an allegedly racist song.

But in order to fully understand the mature McCoist it's necessary to start at the very beginning, which is the chaotic opening to the day that characterises domestic life in the McCoist household.

Blessed with a disorganised approach to punctuality that is uniquely his, the father of four does the school run as best he can and would never contract the job out to anybody else. The reason for that is a profoundly serious one.

He said: "I read Jim McLean's column in the Daily Record every week and I love it.

But what I get coming across very strongly is that wee Jim knows he's sacrificed a lot of his family life over the decades that were devoted to football. I think it's very big of him to be so truthful about these matters but I know I won't let that happen to me.

"I look at lots of wee faces tripping them in the car every morning because they're on their way to school and I know this is quality time for me and my kids - and I wouldn't have it any other way.

"The biggest surprise I've had since joining Walter at Rangers is the number of hours in the day that are consumed by the job, so that start to the day is important to me."

McCoist gave up a dazzling television career on A Question of Sport and a variety of other programmes to pledge himself to Rangers and doing his job properly.

If ever anything could be called a labour of love it's his slavish devotion to the club for whom he scored 251 goals in 418 appearances during a glittering career that eventually brought him the MBE for his services to a sport he graced for 15 years at Ibrox.

McCoist, Rangers and the club's supporters are one and the same in his eyes.

He said: "When I stopped playing for the club I paid my money and watched the team from the terracing. When this wonderful journey I'm on at the moment comes to an end I'll go back to joining the Rangers fans and cheering on the team.

"There are so many negatives that have become attached to the Rangers supporters and I feel sorry for them. I'm saddened by the abuse the majority get because a minority sing a song that the club has tried to outlaw. Our fans are as good as any in the world.

"I'm animated on their behalf when I'm jumping up and down in the technical area on match days. For me, there's still no greater sight in the world than the ball hitting the back of the net for Rangers.

"I tell Boydie and Kenny Miller every day they are the luckiest guys in the world to be in the job of doing that for Rangers. And if Boydie goes on to break my scoring record for Rangers I'll be delighted for him. I'm in a no-lose situation because I must be doing something right as a coach if I'm helping him to beat me - and if he does it it'll be because he's deserved to do it.

"I'm not jealous because he's on fire at the moment. I'm envious because he's got my old job but I'm over the stage where I still want to be playing."

McCoist scored 19 goals for Scotland over the 61 international appearances that put him in the SFA's Hall of Fame but revealed he made no attempt to talk Boyd out of his decision to retire from the national side for the duration of George Burley's stay in charge.

He said: "Kris is a big enough boy to know his own mind. I wouldn't have tried to influence him regardless of whether or not I agreed with his decision.

"But I told him I'd support him all the way once he'd arrived at his final word on the subject." Boyd opted out at the time when Sir David Murray agreed McCoist would be Rangers' next manager, assuming his partnership with Smith bore fruit in terms of winning the championship.

But the No.2 isn't consumed by the thought of one day ascending Ibrox's marble staircase to a manager's office with his name on the door.

McCoist said: "At the moment my job is to be assistant to the manager. Walter is still my father figure and boss. He's the gaffer who has created an image that wins him the respect of every one in the game.

"I'm not thinking about anything beyond that and it doesn't annoy me that people still think of me as the boy who sewed his wild oats without considering I might make it as a coach. The people who really know me understand football is my life, Rangers is my team and I have no regrets about giving up a life in television to pursue my dream of working for the club.

"I miss Sue Barker because she's a great girl and I still keep in touch. I worked at games with Andy Townsend and I telephone him all the time as well. I miss the people but I don't miss the telly."

'When this wonderful journey ends I'll be back cheering the team'

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