Walter Smith has declared Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall ready to take over Rangers as he ruled out extending his managerial career for another season.
Assistant McCoist must wait another year before he has the opportunity to take over as expected. And Smith is confident the former Rangers striker, and first-team coach McDowall, will be ready to step up when he retires.
Smith told www.rangersfc.co.uk: "To be honest I thought last season was going to be my last but different circumstances meant that I had a change of mind. However, this will definitely be my last one."
He added: "Hopefully it will be as successful as the previous seasons have been but we know we have a lot of work to do to retain the title.
"I'm hopeful that come the time the boys will get the opportunity to take over.
"This is the case at the moment but it's obviously not a decision that I will make.
"I sincerely hope that when this decision is made then they get the chance because I think everyone will agree that they deserve it.
"I think the learning part of it all gets exaggerated. We have all been here now for a number of seasons.
"Alastair is an intelligent boy and he learned quickly about what makes a football team tick and the background.
"He has simply been waiting to take over and he is more than ready to do so now - never mind in a year's time."
Source: PA
