Rangers' U20s manager Graeme Murty has played a critical role a the club in 2017. Not just tasked with bringing on the club's youth talent, he's been given the role of caretaker of the first team not once but twice. In the wake of Pedro Caixinha's departure this week, the decision makers at Ibrox didn't waste any time in putting him charge of first team affairs, starting with this weekend's trip to Hearts.

After a number of poor results in the league already this season, it's vitally important that he brings a bit of stability and stops the downward spiral that threatens to derail Rangers' entire season. Already five points behind Aberdeen and eight behind Celtic, they simply can't afford to have anything but a period of success under Murty while a new manager is sorted out.

To do that, he must take THREE simple but critical steps and bring authority back to a first team squad that has been ill-disciplined and out-fought in recent weeks and months...

Bring Kenny Miller in from the cold

A disheartening saga this season for Rangers was the spat between Kenny Miller and Pedro Caixinha that spilled over from training at Auchenhowie onto the back pages of every newspaper in Scotland. The Light Blues veteran has been left out of the match day squad over the last month, frozen out by the Portuguese and putting his future at the club in doubt.

Graeme Murty must now bring him back into the first team, either as a starter or on the bench, and use his influence and experience to help guide Rangers through what will be a difficult period.

Miller may be 37 years of age, but he still cares deeply about Rangers and if nothing else will give his all to ensure they pick up positive results in this interim period. That's exactly what the club need right now, warriors who will play for the shirt, and Miller can set an example for the rest of the dressing room, especially while captain Lee Wallace is out injured.

Turn to youth

Along with the experience of Kenny Miller, Graeme Murty should also use this period to bring new blood into the team and help youngsters who have been getting games settle into first team life. Murty of course knows the younger players at Rangers better than anyone and is well placed to decide who is and who isn't ready to make an impact in the senior side.

With expectations of results pretty low amongst Rangers supporters during such a uncertain time, it's the perfect chance to bring in hungry players looking to make an impression, without the serious pressure that would usually accompany their introduction.

His guidance can help the likes of Ross McCrorie permanently displace the unimpressive Fabio Cardoso and with other young players like Jamie Barjonas and Ryan Hardie also knocking on the door looking for starts, a fresh look to the Rangers line-up could be a real boost to performances and pleasing for the fans to see.

Bring back the spirit of Celtic Park

One of the big highlights of Rangers' 2017 so far was a 1-1 draw away to Celtic last season, a match that no-one gave them a hope of winning before kick-off. Graeme Murty was of course in charge then, his last match before Pedro Caixinha took over, and it should be benchmark that Rangers set for themselves over the next period.

They may not have been at their attacking best that day, but the spirit, character and organisation was something that was missing for most of Caixinha's subsequent reign. Murty is the man to bring it back and make Rangers an exceptionally difficult side to beat again.

If he can bring back that defiance to grind out results then Rangers will be fine over the next month or two as they wait for a new era. It can't be any worse than the shambolic chaos of this season so far.