GORDON DURIE has confessed that he sought the endorsement and approval of Ian Durrant before ousting him from the Rangers management team.

The former striker was installed as the assistant to caretaker manager Kenny McDowall earlier this week with Durrant demoted from the post of first-team coach to Durie's old job with the Under-20 squad.

Lee McCulloch, the club captain, was drafted in to become the third man in the dug-out as part of the reshuffle that came as a result of Ally McCoist being sent out on gardening leave for the remaining 12 months of his contract.

Durie and Durrant formed a solid bond during their days at team-mates during the Nine-In-A-Row era at Ibrox and private discussions staged in the wake of the changes demanded by the new chief executive, Derek Llambias, have ensured that relationship remains unbroken amid the general sense of upheaval at the SPFL Championship club.

"Of course it was important I spoke to Ian," stated Durie. "We had a chat about it on Monday. We are good friends for life. We both know the situation and are professional enough to get on with it. We will both do that.

"I got the call from Kenny on Sunday night to come in on Monday. I was actually preparing the Under-20s for a game. I spoke to Kenny and Alistair. I was surprised, but it was important for me to speak to them and Ian.

"What we said will remain between us. Ian's a friend, he's a work colleague, I've known Durranty for years. He's worked with the Under-20s before, so it's nothing new for him."

McDowall stated, in admirably candid fashion, earlier this week that he feels his rise to the top job at Rangers has been "tainted" by the nature of McCoist's departure. There seems no question that Durie and McCulloch have extremely mixed feelings about their respective promotions within the coaching set-up at Rangers too.

Durie is clear when asked whether he hopes supporters and outside observers realise that he has been placed by the powers-that-be in the awkward situation of effectively taking the job of a long-term friend and colleague. "Hopefully, yes," said the 49-year-old. "We were asked to takes these roles. We've got to be professional and do them and we've got to look forward now."

It will be a little odd to see Durie back in the dug-out at Easter Road tomorrow afternoon, the ground at which he really made his name with Hibernian in the mid-1980s. No-one is likely to find the situation stranger than the man himself.

His one dalliance in management at first-team level ended with him leaving East Fife on health grounds two years ago. After 18 months as assistant to John Robertson, he became manager in March 2012 but left his post within a matter of months, having collapsed in the showers following a match with Queen of the South.

Initial fears he had suffered a stroke proved unfounded - a viral complaint lay at the centre of his problems - but he admits the experience put him off the idea of becoming a manager again and is still coming to terms with finding himself back in such a high-profile position at Rangers.

"When I finished at East Fife, I didn't think I was finished in coaching, although I did say then that I didn't think I would be a manager again," he stated. "This situation was only put on me on Monday, so it's quite new again. It's something I'm looking forward to, being at Kenny's right-hand side. I'll give him as much support as I can.

"I've had a wee bit experience of the management side, so if I can help Kenny in any way I can, I will do. It was a wee bit different at East Fife, with boys not turning up for training sometimes because they couldn't get a babysitter and stuff like that. I hope we won't get that here."

It is unlikely, but, as we know, nothing can really be ruled out at Rangers following three and a half years that have defied belief.

Durie, McDowall and McCulloch all have rich histories with Rangers. With McCoist having left, they represent, in the eyes of many supporters, the last links with an illustrious past.

Durie accepts this and understands the need for them to remain collectively strong during what must surely be extremely trying times. "Any backroom staff you have - manager, assistant, coaches - they've got to be united and work together," he said. "I've known Kenny and Jig a long time and I've been around the players for a couple of years, even with the Under-20s. We'll stick together and the players will too. We are Rangers people, but our focus has to be on getting results on a Saturday. That starts this weekend."

The new management team certainly face a baptism of fire. Hibernian ran out comprehensive 3-1 winners at Ibrox the last time the teams met in September and, faced with a Rangers team that now has to room for error whatsoever in the SPFL Championship, will fancy their chances. "We're looking forward to it," said Durie. "It'll be a tough game. We were disappointed with the result against them last time, but the boys are looking upon it as an opportunity to put that right."