Barry Ferguson has admitted that there will be plenty of doubt surrounding Michael Beale as Rangers' new coach, if he is appointed.

But the Ibrox legend reckons the former assistant could well be the best appointment the club can make at this stage as they look to replace the axed Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Beale is expected to be named Rangers manager in the coming days as the club look to implement the new regime during the World Cup break.

And ahead of the appointment, Ferguson has offered the incoming boss some advice for his tenure.

He wrote in the Daily Record: "Michael Beale is certainly in pole position in what feels very much like a one man race so if - or when - his position is confirmed he has quite a challenge on his hands with the team already nine points off the pace at the top of the table.

"Here’s the one bit of advice I would give him. If you’re going to go down, then make sure you go down fighting.

"Because Rangers fans simply won’t accept anything less or any more excuses. Look, I realise winning the title this season is already a serious long shot. But if you don’t believe you can do it, then what’s the point in even taking the job in the first place? At the very least, he has to show the hunger and belief to try to claw that back between now and the turn of the year.

"I realise most people have already written off the league this season but that can’t be in the new man’s thinking. Rattle off four wins against Hibs, Aberdeen, Ross County and Motherwell - then beat Celtic at Ibrox on January 2 and it could be a very different picture. I’m sure that’s the way he’ll be looking at it because he knows how this club works.

"He has seen for himself what is required to be a successful Rangers manager and that includes the demands that have to be made of the board. He won’t be coming in as some ‘yes man’ who’s just happy to be there and who won’t rock the boat.

"If it’s his head on the block then I’m sure he’ll already have made stipulations with regard to what he expects to be done over the next two or three transfer windows. Otherwise, he doesn’t stand a chance.

"Look, there’s going to be a lot of debate over whether or not he’s the right man to oversee this massive task. He’s only been in charge of QPR for around six months and only has 20-odd games under his belt as a manager.

"So, yes, obviously the first concern is over his lack of experience. But is there a manager out there right now who Rangers could get that ticks every single box? That’s simply not going to happen.

"So yes, while Beale has only been a manager for a matter of months, there are also a lot of upsides to his appointment. At the top of that list is the fact that, after spending three years working under Steven Gerrard, he knows the club inside out and he is perfectly well aware of the demands of the job.

"He knows the magnitude of the club and the scale of the expectations which will be placed on his shoulders."

READ MORE: