ALLY McCOIST, the Rangers manager, has acknowledged that a change of ownership at the club could result in him losing his job.

McCoist has been a key figure at Rangers in recent weeks, liaising regularly with administrators Duff and Phelps and emerging as the club's de facto leader in the ongoing absence of owner Craig Whyte. He has also met prospective new owners, including former director Paul Murray and Brian Kennedy, owner of the Sale Sharks rugby club, to outline his vision for the future.

The manager, though, admitted he was at the whim of any decisions a prospective owner may take once in office, including any changes to the management set-up.

"Without coming flying out the trenches to get riddled with bullets and taking them all for the team, I would say it is the club that is the most important thing," he said.

"I've said it all along and I genuinely mean it. I'm damned that if it was me spending £25m, £30m, I don't know how many millions, I want my own man in charge.

"Hopefully, that will be me but I'm not daft enough to think it might not be. We all know the rules so there's no point me moaning about it. Football's a cruel game. But there are a lot more important things to worry about, and I genuinely mean that. No matter what happens I won't be throwing the toys out of the pram – I will still be supporting Rangers, I guarantee that."

McCoist revealed that the events of the past week – the players and management agreeing substantial wage cuts to stave off the threat of redundancies, and the emergence of potential new owners – has given him fresh hope after what he describes as "the blackest month in the club's history".

He did acknowledge that liquidation was still a possible outcome from this scenario, but hoped that prospect was growing increasingly remote. "It's never soon for optimism. It's been a helluva month and everyone's been through a lot. There are definitely positives now with the fact that the vast majority of the workforce will keep their jobs.

"The threat of liquidation is still there but I'd be hopeful now of being able to think it's a wee bit further away."

McCoist has not spoken to Whyte for several weeks now and was reluctant to pass comment on the Rangers owner while several matters remain unresolved.

"I still don't think now is the time to discuss that, to be honest. A lot of things will happen before this chapter in the club's history is closed and, hopefully, it will be closed sooner rather than later.

"Until that is the case, I'd reserve judgment on talking about any individuals. I'm just trying to remain positive and to help get the club through this difficult period."

McCoist, though, did have an indirect dig at the owner on the matter of forthcoming Scottish Football Association disciplinary hearings for both the club and Whyte.

"I don't know how the hearing will go but you'd just hope that the SFA will be able to distinguish between the actions of the club and the actions of individuals. That's all we can hope for."