Alex McLeish has been urged to grab the Rangers job if offered to him.

That was the message from Motherwell boss Mark McGhee who backed his former team-mate to turn back the clock just as he did and be a success at his old club.

McGhee returned to Fir Park last season for a second stint as Well boss, while McLeish has been tipped to do likewise at Ibrox following his departure in 2006.

When asked if he would advise him to return to Rangers in any capacity, McGhee said: "Absolutely. A club like Rangers? There are only a few clubs like that in the country. I’m not talking about Scotland. I’m talking about Britain.

"Rangers have that history. It’s a massive club. So absolutely.

"I don’t think there are any special considerations, particularly when time has lapsed. People have changed. You have changed and learned more yourself.

"With Alex and Rangers, I have heard people talk about him as a director of football as well. You look at his experience, his contacts. He is a brilliant networker. He has worked at big clubs, managed big players.

"I think that for Rangers’ aspirations of getting back towards Celtic, they need that mentality. They do need someone who has that size of ambition, if you like.

"Alex would be a great asset to Rangers or any club like that."

The expectation level on McLeish to come in and recreate the impact he demonstrated during his treble-winning period would be different to what it was back then.

According to McGhee, fans would appreciate the different landscape that would face his old pal or whoever was charged of somehow closing the gap to Celtic.

"The expectations have to be measured by the investment and what’s possible," he said.

"You couldn’t stick with our budget here and expect to match Celtic. It’s impossible.

"You have to be given some sort of chance. Whatever his budget is, and whatever those possibilities are, has to be taken into account.

"If Alex goes in there and is given a budget to match Celtic then you would expect him to catch Celtic. If he is not, then he would at least be expected to finish second.

"It’s going to take time. Even for someone like Alex with all his experience. If he went in there, there are not going to catch Celtic tomorrow. But they would get closer and closer with every transfer window, that’s for sure."