McCoist Gives Backing To Wallace

Photo by Jeff Holmes

Rangers boss Ally McCoist believes chief executive Graham Wallace is committed to helping the embattled Ibrox club solve its off-field troubles. The fallen Glasgow giants have been forced to launch a £4million share issue in a desperate bid to raise cash. Clyde Sport understands the club are confident of selling at least 15 million shares having previously warned they would face an "uncertain" future if the rights issue - which closes on Friday - failed. But despite their optimism, doubts about the club's long-term viability remain. Rumours have suggested the Rangers directors are considering going back into administration while there have also been reports of a split between Wallace - who sits as a PLC director - and club board chairman Sandy Easdale. A source close the chief executive this week told Press Association Sport claims that Wallace was close to being axed were "utter nonsense". Now McCoist says he expects to see the former Manchester City chief operating officer around for the long haul. The manager - who claims he has received no word of an impending financial meltdown - said: "If Graham needs to tell me anything about the running of the club then he will tell me. "One hundred percent he wants to steer the Rangers ship back to the top. There is no doubt in my mind." And McCoist added: "I don't (fear going back into administration) because I have been reassured by the chief executive that that will not be the case. "I'm not a financial man. I don't see the accounts, I don't know the accounts. I don't know the expenditures. With the greatest respect, that's not my job. "If there is a side to it where we go into that situation again I would expect to be informed but I certainly haven't been anything but reassured." The club's financial situation was put into even sharper focus when they admitted to the Stock Exchange that they had just £1.5million of accessible cash left in their accounts as of June 30. Former director Imran Ahmad then succeeded in having £620,000 of that sum frozen at the Court of Session while he sues Rangers for an unpaid bonus. Imran is yet to lodge his arrestment warrant with court officials while Rangers have been given leave to appeal the decision. But there remains real concern that the club may not be able to meet its monthly wage bill come when it falls due on September 25. "(Rumours of a problem paying wages) have been mentioned (in the Press) but I haven't sought any reassurance," said McCoist. "That's plain and simply because if it was an issue I would be told and I would then pass that message onto the players and staff here." The latest round of negative headlines - which have also included the revelation that naming rights to Ibrox were sold to Sports Direct tycoon Mike Ashley for £1 by former chief exec Charles Green - are the last thing McCoist's side need as they prepare for Friday night's Scottish Premiership clash with Raith Rovers in Kirkcaldy. But winger David Templeton was doing his best to stay focused. When asked about the wage rumours, he said: "It's not something we've spoken about. We've not had any meetings about anything. As far as I know everything is good." Pressed if he expected to receive his full pay packet this month, the 25-year-old replied: "Yeah definitely." Meanwhile, supporters' group the Union of Fans has called for Easdale to be sacked from the football club board after he was pictured meeting with businessman Rafat Rizvi, who is being hunted by Interpol on charges of corruption, money laundering and banking crime in Indonesia. Rizvi was reportedly acting as a middleman for investment talks with Malaysian company boss Datuk Faizoull Bin Ahmad, although Rangers later issued a statement insisting they had only met Bin Ahmad in his role as chairman of Malaysian Super League club Felda United to discuss a potential youth development pact. McCoist, though, insisted he had not met the delegation, saying: "I was aware There was a group of business men coming over to have a tour of Murray Park and that they were very interested in the youth side of the football club. "I didn't (meet them). If it's not really my business then there is not really much point in me meeting them. "If it was something that was going to effect the first team or the running of the club I probably would have met them. "I had no idea who any of the gentlemen were."