Gordon Strachan has sympathy for Ally McCoist

By Steven Toplis, Reporter | 16 December 2014

Scotland boss Gordan Strachan says that his experience of leaving Southampton in 2004 means that he can empathise with Ally McCoist's current plight at Rangers.

Scotland manager Gordan Strachan has said that his experience of leaving Southampton in 2004 means that he has sympathy for Ally McCoist's current plight at Rangers.

The Scottish Championship side revealed to the Stock Exchange on Monday that the 52-year-old has resigned as manager and entered a 12-month notice period.

Strachan had privately stated his intention to leave his position as Southampton manager at the end of the 2003-04 season, but resigned in February 2004 after his decision was leaked to the media.

"I'm sure most folk would agree that the club is not really sure how it is being run at the moment. I'm not sure [Ally working his notice] will make any difference but it made a difference to Southampton," Strachan told The Scotsman.

"The club is in a turmoil anyway. In my situation at Southampton, somebody set the situation off on a spin by leaking that I was going. But at Rangers it is already in full spin at the moment, so I don't know how it will go from here.

"That was a difference with Ally's situation. I was at a stable club. It never changed at Southampton but Rangers is a bit different because there is turmoil in the background. Whether it makes any difference to the players or the staff at that club, I don't know."

Rangers directors will hold discussions with McCoist this week to seek a solution.