Former Rangers manager Walter Smith has praised Stuart McCall for making an impact at Ibrox - but he maintains Ally McCoist was given little chance of succeeding . McCall has put Rangers in the driving seat for second place in the Scottish Championship and a place in the semi-finals of the play-offs after taking over from reluctant caretaker Kenny McDowall . McCoist was put on gardening leave just before Christmas after handing in his notice following three-and-a-half difficult seasons in charge under the chaotic reigns of the likes of Craig Whyte and then Charles Green and his allies . But his failure to win a cup competition and his team 's style of play drew serious criticism . Walter Smith ( right ) spent two spells in charge as manager of Rangers and has hailed Stuart McCall 's impact . Smith ( right ) attended a John Hartson Foundation golf day to raise money for testicular cancer awareness . Smith was chairman for some of that period after accepting Green 's offer to join the board - a decision he soon regretted - and insists the club was too badly run to ensure true success on the park . Smith , who was attending a John Hartson Foundation golf day to help raise money for testicular cancer awareness , said : 'The guys worked with me for four-and-a-half years there and did a great job for the club , and I was hoping they would get a good opportunity . ' I got great support from Sir David Murray but it 's not turned out that they have had the same support from the people who have been running the club . So it has been very difficult for them to show what they can do . 'That 's the crux of the matter , it 's the circumstances they have been in that have caused them as much trouble as anything else . ' I 'd be very surprised if anybody could show me a club that is n't well run , that are doing really well . 'The problems have been well documented and now they have got to concentrate on doing what they do , and that 's Rangers getting back to the Premiership first and foremost and then trying to settle into a position where they can get back to being a winning team . ' McCall played under Smith for seven seasons , winning six titles in the process , and the 67-year-old was pleased to see the former Motherwell boss take over , despite his pain at the exits of former assistants McCoist and McDowall . McCall was appointed Rangers manager in March until the summer as a replacement for Kenny McDowall . ' I 'm not happy to see it because it cost friends of mine their job , ' he said . 'But that happens in football and when other people take over I am obviously pleased to see Stuart take over and I hope he does really well . 'He has been brave enough to take the job until the end of the season . If he gets promotion , he will put himself in a very good position to get the job on a more permanent basis . 'He has gone in there and got a reaction . That happens in football . It has happened to me and a whole load of other managers , when you leave and someone else comes in , they get a reaction . Rangers have won five out of nine Scottish Championship matches since McCall 's arrival at Ibrox . 'Performances have been brighter and hopefully he will keep that going until the end of the season . ' However , Smith has warned that Rangers fans might have to be patient in their desire to see the club competing at the very top of Scottish football , despite power now lying in the hands of the likes of Paul Murray and Dave King following last month 's general meeting . ' I 'm obviously happy to see everything at the club settling down , ' the former Scotland boss said . 'The lack of headlines would indicate that 's the case . 'The people that are running the club are just getting their feet under the table and finding out what they have to do to move the club forward . I think that 's to be expected at this stage . Smith did , however , open up about Ally McCoist 's departure and admitted it was n't easy to see . 'It will obviously take a bit of time but they will be able to handle that aspect of it . Everyone who is there now is there for the football club and that 's a big , big thing . 'To be fair , when I was involved on the Rangers board , it would have been different from any other boardroom never mind anything else . ' I have been fortunate enough to be at Rangers for a long time and be there at successful times and it 's not a period I can look back on with any great pleasure . '
Walter Smith spent two spells in charge at Ibrox as manager of McCall . Stuart Rangers was appointed McCall manager in March until the summer . McCall are currently fifth in the Scottish Championship . Smith hails Rangers impact and opens up about Ally McCoist 's departure .