MARK Wotte said last night that the challenge of restoring Rangers' fortunes was "one of the ultimate challenges in football" and something that he "wouldn't walk away from".

The Dutchman, currently employed as performance director for the Moroccan Football Federation, spoke with Ibrox director Paul Murray back in 2015 but hasn't been mentioned in an interview process thus far this time which has been thought to involve Southampton's Ross Wilson, Tottenham Hotspur's Paul Mitchell, Huddersfield's Stuart Webber, Alex McLeish, John Park and current Brentford head of football operations Robert Rowan.

The former SFA performance director, however, feels Rangers are a "sleeping giant" and would be be open minded if the board wanted to contact him for their director of football job this time around.

Read more: Exclusive: Mark Wotte on why Rangers director of football needs to have experience - and an eye on Europe

"To get Rangers back to European level, that is one of the ultimate challenges in football, so I wouldn't walk away from that challenge," Wotte told Herald Sport. "There is a lot of potential there, a lot of history and they play now in the Scottish Premiership but they have to make one, two or three steps to get back into Europe. I would be delighted to get my hands on a job like that but I know there are a lot of names going on and former Rangers people involved. So I am not sure they are waiting for a Mark Wotte. Maybe they have forgotten about me because I have been away now for two years.

"I spoke to Paul Murray two years ago and I know Andrew Dickson very well," he added. "He is a great guy, one of the stability factors there. I know that Douglas Park is involved as well and the owner is more remotely involved. I am happy out in Morocco with a great project and a great job, but if anyone wants to contact me then I am always open minded. I think they are still a sleeping giant at the moment so it would be important to wake them up to get back into the Champions League."

Wotte, formerly director of football with Feyenoord, is convinced that the club are going down the correct route as they bid to appoint a director of football to dictate the wider strategy of the club and a head coach to work under him. He said it was more important to take their time over appointing the right men, rather than rushing someone in to assist Graeme Murty ahead of the next Old Firm match at Parkhead in March.

Read more: Exclusive: Mark Wotte on why Rangers director of football needs to have experience - and an eye on Europe

"It is now or never for Rangers," he said. "If they want to go back into Europe, they need to appoint someone who has a knowledge of European players as well. They need to think big and think European. Don't sign an inexperienced director of football because it is the most important job at the club. They have always had a good tradition of signing European players, from Michael Mols to De Boer or Lorenzo Amoruso, Scandinavian players too. They have to think in a European style, not just a Scottish style. Because they are so much bigger than Scotland.

"Any new coach can't change the team any more so I think it is going to be marginal any difference if you appoint a new coach right now," said Wotte. So I would stick with Graeme Murty for now and take my time to make the right decision. This is no time to rush into the wrong appointment.

"It is not about now for Rangers, it is about next season and the season after. That is the goal of Rangers - not just to win the Old Firm match which is coming in three or four weeks' time. You should just ignore the fact that you are heading towards an Old Firm game. For the fans of course it is an important game but more important for the fans is getting the club back to the highest possible level - the Champions League."