WALTER Smith has described his decision to become non-executive chairman of Rangers following a period of off-field turmoil at Ibrox in 2013 as “a massive error”.
Former manager Smith became a non-executive director at the Glasgow giants following the Charles Green-led takeover in 2012.
There was considerable boardroom unrest at that time that culminated in commercial director Imran Ahmad and chief executive Charles Green departing and chairman Malcolm Murray standing down.
However, the 73-year-old revealed that he quickly realised he wasn’t equipped with the necessary business acumen to steer his boyhood heroes through that turbulent spell in their history and admitted he regretted accepting the role.
“The non-executive chairman one was a massive error I made getting involved,” he told the Essential Scottish Football podcast.
“I should never have got myself involved with any of that. There is always a call. Do you think you can help? But I found myself in an environment that was strange to me and I never lasted very long.
“It is one of the things I wish I hadn’t done. But we all make mistakes. I thought I could maybe go and help. It was an error on my own part and I learned then that the footballing side was my side.
“The running of the club, regardless of the circumstances there, wasn’t for me. I was only there for a few months and I decided it wasn’t for me."
Smith continued: “Ever since then I have been happy with that. It takes other expertise to run a football club, a business expertise which I don’t have. I was wrong to try and get involved. I thought the experiences I have had before would maybe help, but that wasn’t the case.
“This is not the time for us to be looking back, this is the time for us to be looking forward. We have had a wee bit of celebrations and hopefully our football club will continue to be successful again.”
To listen to the full Walter Smith interview go to https://essentialpodcasts.co.uk
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