Stand-in boss David McCallum has hailed the impact of Jermain Defoe following Steven Gerrard's Rangers exit.
Defoe, B-team boss McCallum, assistant B-team coach Brian Gilmour and goalkeeping coach Colin Stewart have stepped in as a four-man caretaker team following the Ibrox upheaval.
With new boss Gio van Bronckhorst in the stands for the Premier Sports Cup semi-final at Hampden, it appears that the semi-final showdown with Hibs will be their only match in the dugout.
With most of the backroom staff following Gerrard to Aston Villa, Defoe was left behind with his dual coaching and playing role.
Rangers academy guru McCallum has offered an insight into the role he could play in the Van Bronckhorst era in Govan after he stepped up behind the scenes.
Speaking to Rangers TV, McCallum said: "We are here to make sure the players are ready to go in the game as well as they can be from all over, from different parts of the club.
"Myself and Brian (Gilmour) have come in from the academy to make sure things are running smoothly.
"Added to that you have the experience of Jermain who is obviously in that transition from player to coach, and that has been really beneficial to have that bridge between what we want to do on a playing perspective.
"Colin (Stewart) coming on from a goalkeeping perspective knows the journey and knows the players really well.
"There are just so many people who have made sure this is going as smoothly as it should be and it normally would be."
McCallum also heaped praise on the player's attitude at Auchenhowie following the whirlwind Gerrard departure with the huge Hampden clash on the horizon.
He added: "It’s been a great reaction. They know how big this game is.
"We are making it really clear what we want them to do and how we want it to look. The team have been a certain way for a certain period of time, so we are trying to make sure that edge and energy is in them.
"They have been asking about a couple of areas where they would want clarity, and for the most part they have done what we wanted to do and that has come through in the sessions as well."
