Former Ibrox star John MacDonald has backed Paul Le Guen to deliver both domestic and European success to Rangers.
ChristofKoepsel/GettyImages
Paul le Guen: Walter Smith and Ally McCoist the heirs apparent to follow him at Rangers.
The Frenchman will replace departing boss Alex McLeish at the end of the season after agreeing a three-year deal.
McLeish will be able to bring his four-and-a-half-year term to an end knowing he guided a Scottish club to the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time.
But results in the Bank of Scotland Premier League suffered and his final task as Rangers manager will be securing runners-up spot this season and with it another crack at the Champions League.
McLeish has often spoken of the difficulties of balancing both competitions but MacDonald hopes Le Guen - who led Lyon to three consecutive titles - is the man to do it.
'I am confident Rangers will be back on top again next season,' he said.
'They have thrown away games they should have won this season and that will stop next year.
'I have no doubts that Rangers will be challenging Celtic for the title next season.
'Le Guen will also bring a more European style of play to the club so I don't see why he can't also do well in the Champions League.'
But John Macmillan, secretary of the Rangers Supporters Clubs, has urged the fans to give Le Guen time.
He said: 'It's a pretty tall order to do both within the first year or two.
'He needs time to build a team and his first priority has to be the SPL.
'Everyone is delighted that we have made in-roads in Europe but we are in danger of missing out on Champions League football for next year so the Scottish scene has to be his priority.'
And Macmillan hopes Le Guen has more enduring success than Rangers' last foreign boss, Dick Advocaat.
He added: 'Dick Advocaat made a major impact in his first couple of years and we thought we also had a stronger team for Europe.
'Then it all went a bit pear-shaped. Hopefully that won't happen with Le Guen.'
