RANGERS caretaker boss Graeme Murty admits he struggled to pick his first starting 11 for the Scottish Cup tie against Morton — because everyone wanted to give him advice before kick-off.

Ex-Reading defender Murty took over from Mark Warburton in a whirlwind 24 hours for the Gers after the board accepted the Englishman’s resignation along with assistant Davie Weir and head of recruitment Frank McParland.

And Murty insists he had a tough time making his selections ahead of the game — which Gers edged 2-1 — because he had ‘the world’ telling him which team to pick to play Ton.

He said: “It was difficult because I had the world telling me what to do. I had a few people on Twitter telling me what team to pick, I had every single person in my phone book telling me I had to do this and that. In the end I had to go with what I thought.

“Picking the team was difficult, but telling the players who weren’t involved was even harder. I thought I’d do that face to face and give them the respect they deserve so I did that, and the result is what you saw.

“I stood on the sideline and thoroughly enjoyed watching the team play. I wasn’t overly satisfied at times, but I don’t think any manager is ever fully happy. But I’m happy to be through.”

Murty also explained the situation surrounding his promotion from under-20s boss to interim first-team manager.

He said: “A couple of days ago I was at a rugby match watching the Warriors and I got a phone call saying ‘can you please come to Ibrox’. I did that and I was asked if I would take the game. I don’t think you could turn that down. I said yes, and here I am.

“I was just asked ‘can you take the group of players’ and I will do so until I’m told otherwise. Until I’m told otherwise, I’ll be in charge of training this week.

“I think it helps the players to have a familiar face because some of them were emotionally up and down, but they reacted really well and managed to get past it. They tried very hard to do what we asked them to do, so I’m happy to get through it, happy to be involved with the group, and I’ve got to say the players have reacted really well and have been great to me personally. I thank them for that.

“I’m busy sorting out my head after the occasion [on Sunday]. I thoroughly enjoyed it, does it guide me in a way for the future? I have no idea, I just need to sort my thoughts out a little bit later.”

The 42-year-old insists he even tried phoning Warburton to thank him for bringing him to Ibrox and wish him well for the future, but as yet the Londoner has not returned his calls.

He added: “I wanted to thank Mark [Warburton] and I tried to call him. He was on my interview panel and has been very open and inclusive, and very welcoming to me since I joined the football club.

“He hasn’t taken my call as of yet but I’m definitely trying to get a hold of him.”