Steven Davis plotting Rangers PLAYING return as interim boss looks beyond hot seat stint

Rangers’ interim boss Steven Davis says he hasn’t given up hope of PLAYING for the club again.

The midfielder has been put in temporary charge of the beleaguered Ibrox side after Michael Beale’s axing. Davis’ first game in the dug-out ended in disaster on Thursday night as they were beaten 2-1 by Cypriot outfit Aris Limassol in the Europa League. When the 38-year-old got the call to take over, he was coming towards the end of his rehab from a long-term knee injury. And the Northern Irishman still harbours ambitions to pull on a blue jersey again as well as earn more caps for his country.

The Rangers board are in the midst of their search for a new gaffer and stand-in Davis said: “I’d love to be able to pull on the jersey for this club again and to play for Northern Ireland. That was my intention when I got injured – not to make this the defining moment or end moment – of my playing career.

“But as you get older, these things are more difficult. I was getting myself in a better place in the last few weeks, in terms of how my knee felt.

“Was I thinking I might still play for Rangers again at some point? Of course.

“You must have something that drives you, whether that’s realistic or unrealistic. You just never know in football. I was hoping around this time I’d be ready to come back to training on a regular basis.

“I’ll need to make a decision further along the line and see what my options are in terms of playing. I’m at the stage now where I’m assessing things every couple of weeks and seeing how it develops, in terms of getting back to playing.

“The longer it goes, the less time you have at my age. No decision has been made but this opportunity came up and that has delayed my rehab for now.”

Davis could be part of a new