STEVEN DAVIS says he is ‘honoured’ to take on the role of interim manager at Rangers as he shared his excitement at the challenge ahead.
It’s the first-step into management for the 38-year-old, who will be assisted by a backroom team of Alex Rae, Steven Smith, Brian Gilmour and Colin Stewart.
In an exclusive first interview with RangersTV since taking on the role, Davis said it was an opportunity he could not turn down and insists he will give his best during his time in the dugout.
He said: “I am obviously very honoured, the call came out of the blue a little bit, I wasn't expecting it, but I would just like to repay the trust the club have shown in me by putting me in this position.It has been really crazy, I got the phone call last night that they wanted me to come in and lead the team so I was delighted to get the opportunity and I am looking forward to the challenge ahead.
“I believe in the group we have got, things haven't gone as we would've liked, we find ourselves in a situation but I'm sure with ourselves and the fans pushing each other in the same direction then we can go on and get some good results.
“Obviously, management was something that I have considered further down the line. I wasn't expecting it so it didn't really cross my mind, but I thought it was an opportunity I couldn't turn down, it is going to be a great experience for me, and I am looking forward to the challenge.
“Everyone knows what the club means to me, and my approach is just going to be the way I was as a player and that is just to give it my best and hopefully if I do that it’ll be good enough.”
Davis said he will look to implement things he has learned from some of the managers he has worked with over the years, but also wants to be his own person as he looks ahead to leading the team for the first time in Thursday night’s UEFA Europa League group stage match away to Aris Limassol.
He continued: “Ultimately you have to be your own person, but of course I was able to work with some incredible managers. Walter Smith is a legend of this club and it was a great honour to play under him for so many years and have the relationship I did with him.
“At Southampton, I played under some great managers as well, Mauricio Pochettino, Ronald Koeman and internationally with Michael O'Neill, who I have got a very close relationship with. I have been fortunate to play under a number of really good managers and I have been able to pick up a lot of things from them as well over the years.
“I will try and implement some of those things, but I think certainly it is a short-term approach at this minute in time. I want to try and get results back to where we would like them to be and it is going to be a joint effort between myself and the rest of the staff.”