GRAEME Murty has endured the most tumultuous week of his six month reign as Rangers manager in the wake of the 4-0 drubbing by Celtic in the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden on Sunday.

He faced the media at Auchenhowie yesterday and answered questions about the suspension of Kenny Miller and Lee Wallace, the bust-ups with Daniel Candeaias and Andy Halliday and his own future.

Chief Football Writer Matthew Lindsay was there to see what Murty had to say.

Read more: Graeme Murty: I've still got the backing of the Rangers players

Q: You have spoken to the Rangers directors this week. What kind of support did you get?

A: "I have had conversations with a few of them, I've been for a coffee, a sit down and a chat. I also have the director of football in the office next door to me. They're asking me if I'm okay, asking what I need, and it's greatly appreciated. It's been a difficult week."

Q: It’s a bit different from being under-20 coach isn’t it?

A: “This time last year I was getting ready to take an under-20s team into a youth cup final at Hampden. So it's not even close to being the same world.

"You went to Hampden on Sunday in front of that crowd, against our biggest rivals, and put in the performance that we did. It's brought a marked difference and a marked change to my life over the last week."

Q: How has your life changed?

A: "I appear to be a hot topic."

Q: What has it been like?

A: "It's been okay. What am I going to do, hide under a rock? No, I won't. Listen, I've walked around when we've done really well and people have been patting me on the back. You have to take the good times and the bad times. You have to be man enough to front up to it. People in the street have been reasonably supportive."

Q: Why remain? Why not move on?

A: "I've been asked to take charge of this fantastic football club until the end of the season. That has not changed. If I thought it would become detrimental to the team to stay then we'd have a different conversation.

"At the moment I still feel I have a lot to offer. We have shown something with the way that the team has played recently, with the results we've managed to get and the position we've managed to get to in the league. And I still believe I have something to offer.

"I was brought in under the remit to stabilise and start to move forward - and leave the team in a better place than which I inherited it in. I still believe I can do that."

Q: Did you say that you would step aside if you felt you being in charge was being detrimental to the team?

Read more: Graeme Murty: I've still got the backing of the Rangers players

A: "It's an ongoing conversation. We have to do what's right for the football club. The football club is bigger than any one person. I am an employee of the football club.

"I also love this place. I want to see this place do well. I want to see us continue to improve and get better. While I feel I can still do that then I'll put myself forward.

"If that means I'm the person getting the flak then, hey, I've got broad shoulders. It's not nice but it's part of the job."

Q: When will you know?

A: "You'll know by the atmosphere in training. You'll know by the results and general daily practices."

Q: Do you think you’ll be kept on?

A: "I don't know yet. You'll have to ask them (the directors). It's not down to me."

Q: When you had the team meeting what did you say?

A: “I said: ‘Guys, this is what is going to happen moving forward. We need to make sure everyone is going in the right direction. Now is the time to choose. Do we want to be getting second? Do we want to pull together?’ Because there is nothing stronger than this football club when everyone is pulling in the same direction. From me, to my staff, to the players, to the fans. When everyone is pulling in the right direction this place will take some stopping. We have to make sure we get back on track.”

Q: Have you felt that has not been the case up until now?

A: “I believe that we hit a significant speed bump on Sunday. That’s going to be a headline now isn’t it?’

Q: When you had the team meeting on Tuesday did you invite the players to speak or did you take it?

A: “I took it.”

Q: It wasn’t a case of everyone having a say then?

A: “No, I took it.”

Q: What has happened with Daniel Candeias and Andy Halliday since Sunday?

A: “Andy Halliday and Daniel Candeias are both human beings. Andy is desperately disappointed to be coming off the pitch early. He didn’t direct any dissent towards me to my face, but I don’t expect him to be happy coming off the pitching having been substituted that early.

Read more: Graeme Murty: I've still got the backing of the Rangers players

“I have spoken with Daniel afterwards. Daniel plainly wasn’t happy to come off. Speaking to him afterwards he said that he didn’t believe that he had done himself justice. He wanted to stay on. He was desperate to stay on and play in a big, big game.”

Q: Are they in your plans for Sunday?

A: “Yes.”

Q: Do you regret the timing of Andy's substitution?

A: “As a human being, I regret the impact that it is going to have on Andy as a person. As a professional decision, I needed to change the shape of the team and I needed to impact the way the game was going. It might have been someone else, it was unfortunate it was Andy. I made a decision purely for footballing reasons.”

Q: Did you make the substitution at that time to be seen to be making it?

A: “Not at all.”

Q: Why did you make it then?

A: “Because I thought I needed to make it early. If I thought I could have waited to half-time I would have waited to half-time.”

Q: Was there not always going to be a chance that it could create an issue with a player?

A: “If I based every decision on the fact that it might create an issue with a player I would never do anything. When I first came and sat in this chair I was told by some very senior people to trust my gut and go with the decision. I made a decision and I went with it. It has had some repercussions. The player is not happy. I accept that. We have to move forward.”

Q: Have you spoken with Andy?

A: “We will.”

Q: You haven’t spoken to him yet?

A: “I am giving Andy a bit of space at the moment. He looks a little bit raw. As a human being I respect his space. But before Sunday Andy and I will have a sit down and have a chat.”

Q: It’s surprising that hasn’t happened yet. You’ve had four days since the game. Is there an issue there?

A: “Possibly.”

Q: Why haven’t you spoken?

A: “Quite candidly, I have had quite a lot on my plate.”

Q: But it is an issue?

A: “If I had an issue with Andy in training we would bring it to a head. I don’t have an issue with Andy in training. Andy has focused in to training really, really well. I commend his attitude. I commend what he’s doing. I will address an issue with a player, as a person, at a time I consider appropriate.”

Q: Most people thought that pressing Celtic would be the game plan. Was that the game plan? Did the players just not carry it out?

A: “There were lots of things that didn’t go right in the game. I think that the shape of the team was there to inhibit Celtic and be aggressive and I didn’t think we were.”

Q: You said the players hadn’t followed your instructions in the first-half against Motherwell. Same thing against Celtic. Is it not a worry that they’re not doing that?

Read more: Graeme Murty: I've still got the backing of the Rangers players

A: “In previous games they have done. We have had good success from it. So I am looking at the team and their capacity. Their capacity is to go and press. We are a high tempo team. In my opinion we have got good legs in the team. We have reiterated it this week. I have said to the players ‘we need to go and get in people’s faces’. I can’t do it. They need to go and do it. They need to go and be aggressive on the pitch. But they didn’t.”

Q: When that doesn’t happen, do you question yourself?

A: “Of course you do. But I question myself if we win. I question myself for everything that goes wrong. I question myself all the time. So naturally and humanly, I questioned myself. Absolutely. I questioned everything I did in the week.”

Q: Was the decision taken over Lee Wallace and Kenny Miller your decision?

A: “I won’t discuss that. It’s an internal matter.”

Q: Lee Wallace wasn’t mentioned as being injured on the Friday before the game. At what point was he unavailable for selection?

A: “Saturday. He was in the squad.”

Q: On the bench?

A: “That wasn’t decided at the time.”

Q: Did he say he wasn’t fit to play?

A: “It was a conversation we had.”

Q: Were you disappointed?

A: “Lee’s had a long time out. You have to trust the athlete. If he says he’s not good to go, he’s not good to go.”

Q: A lot of fans are calling for your head. How do you get them back onside?

A: “We have to win. This is a team with a winning history and culture. We have to make sure we get back on track. We’ve got five massive games between now and the end of the season to try and claim second place. That’s the target.”

Q: After the game, you said you didn’t believe the dressing room was the time or the place to address the performance?

A: “I didn’t at that stage. I left it after the game. You have to trust your gut. I thought: ‘Now isn’t the time’. Because the emotion would come in. Do you go in all guns blazing as I did at half-time at Motherwell I didn’t think doing that would be appropriate. I didn’t think it was the right time so I wanted to leave it."

Q: Have you now addressed it?

A: “We’ve sat down and gone through it. Pedro (Caixinha) never did it after the game. I know managers that do it after every game. It’s just how you feel at the time. And at that time, for those circumstances, I thought that was most appropriate.”

Read more: Graeme Murty: I've still got the backing of the Rangers players

Q: Do you have a problem with players having a say after a game?

A: “No. Players’ opinions are a vital part of the team learning and the team dynamic.”

Q: Are players allowed to have their say?

A: “Yes.”

Q: Are players allowed to question you?

A: “Yes.”

Q: Do they have to be respectful?

A: “I feel as though I’m a fairly respectful, fairly affable person that treats everyone in the right manner. I would expect that kind of conduct back to me.”

Q: It’s been suggested the fact you have only been confirmed as manager until the summer weakens your position. Do you think it does?

A: “I don’t know. I think you would have to ask the players about that. For me, I’m in the same situation as I’ve always been. When we are moving smoothly and playing well, there doesn’t seem to be an issue.”

Q: Would being appointed on a long-term basis make your position stronger?

A: “I’m not in charge of that so I’ll just be in charge of me and what we do on a daily basis. Is speculation around my position making me stronger? Is it making we weaker? I can’t do anything about that. The players can’t do anything about that. They have to take the reality of the situation.”

Q: Are you prepared to go back to looking after the under-20 team?

A: “I don’t know. I will have to look at it later on.”

Q: Is it your decision?

A: “Yes. That will be an ongoing discussion between me and whoever makes the decision on the next appointment of a manager. We will see how I feel at the end.”

Q: Have you spoken to Dave King this week?

A: “No.”

Q: Are you confident you will see out the final five games of the season?

A: “Yes. I’ve not been told any different.”

Q: Rumours have abounded. Did you offer to resign?

A: “No. My position has been and will always be that the club and the team come first. I’ve said to you on numerous occasions that it’s not about me, have I not? It will not ever be about me. I’m making sure that we as a club and as a team continue to move forward.”

Q: What reaction do you expect from the Ibrox crowd?

A: “I don’t know. I’m hoping it’s a real positive one. I’m hoping that everyone gets 100 per cent behind us and pushes us forward. If it’s not, we have to deal with it and we have to be big enough to cope with whatever it is.”

Q: Is defeat by Hearts an unthinkable prospect?

A: “Let me just say it’s a game we are desperate to win.”

Q: Is victory this week even more important than normal?

Read more: Graeme Murty: I've still got the backing of the Rangers players

A: “That would be me putting my personal circumstances ahead of the team. We are always desperate to win. We need to win. We’ve got five games left. We’ve got a mini league of six teams. We want to finish as high as we can in that. If we go and win that mini league because we have won the games, we get a reward at the end of the season that I think this team is more than capable of getting. It starts this weekend. We are desperate to go and win the game.”

Q: Do you know Arsene Wenger is going to leave Arsenal at the end of the season?

A: “I’m not available.”

Q: Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has been linked with the position? Do you hope he goes?

“Having known Brendan for a long time, I think it would be a good fit and I could see it happening. If it does, I wish him good luck.”

Q: Would you drive him to the airport?

A: “I think Brendan’s got more than one car.”