ALLY McCOIST will do walking away.
Not from his job as Rangers manager, one which he famously - possibly regrettably - vowed he would never voluntarily leave, but from the relentless turbulence that seems to surround Rangers these days. McCoist has tried his best to always come across as appearing upbeat during two-and-a-half years of turmoil but, unsurprisingly, it has finally taken its toll.
Rangers' SPFL League 1 season will end in eight days' time after which McCoist hopes to occupy himself with some forward planning for the campaign ahead. And, after that, he hopes to detach completely from it all on a family holiday.
He is honest enough to admit he needs it. McCoist has worn many hats over the past few years - spokesperson, conduit between the dressing room and the boardroom, PR man, as well as managing the team - and he wants to get away from it all, even if it is just for a short time to try to clear his head. There had been talk of him going to cover the World Cup finals in Brazil as a pundit for the BBC but that has been shelved in favour of some sanctuary in the sun.
"Hopefully [after the last game of the season] I'll be able to sit down after a few days and phone agents, players, others teams' scouts and try and tap into things, as we have done already," he said. "But I need a holiday, and I will be taking one at some stage. I won't be going to the World Cup. I have to prepare here first but I need a break. I'll be executed by her indoors if I don't get one."
There will be plenty to occupy McCoist, however, before he can even start to daydream about lying in a hammock sipping a pina colada. Today the chief executive Graham Wallace is expected to make an announcement about the financial health of the club following the completion of his 120-day review.
McCoist would love a day when he can operate as a football manager without all the background distraction and hoped it might arrive soon.
"In an ideal situation you would be working in a period of stability," he added. "As ever, I am very hopeful that will happen in the very near to immediate future. There is no point in guessing what might or might not happen. I would think we will have an idea of what we can and cannot do.
"I'm not saying anything will be set in stone but I definitely think we will have a far better idea of what we can do short-term [after the publication of the review]."
There was an acceptance on McCoist's part that corporate bodies will continue to have a influence in the ownership structure of football clubs. "The one thing that has changed in the last 10-to-15 years is that football has gone big business," he added. "Particularly down south. Look at the money involved in television to play in the top flight. There are parachute funds we can only dream about."
The ramifications of Wallace's review will reverberate around Ibrox on Saturday during Rangers' match against Stranraer, their last home game of the season, when McCoist and the players will be presented with the trophy.
"I think our supporters have been through hell in the last couple of years, but I think one consistent thing they have done is show great support for the team whether it has been in Elgin or Berwick or indeed at Ibrox. I think they do, throughout the season, as with all teams, have differing opinions on games and styles and tactics and all that kind of stuff.
"But the vast majority of them all appreciate the fact that we have won the league and won the league well. It is a day for celebrating."
One former player had suggested in a newspaper column that Rangers should not go overboard about winning the third tier title but McCoist did not agree. "We have got to do it justice and do the right thing and that is celebrate the title success. There is no doubt about that."
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