Barry Ferguson was told he wasn't getting the Rangers job permanently because the club was going for experience - and admits he felt let down.
The Ibrox legend thought he had a chance of landing the job last summer after a spell as caretaker boss at the end of the 2024/25 season, following Philippe Clement's sacking.
Instead, Russell Martin was given the reins before only lasting a matter of months after a disastrous start to the season.
Ferguson has now revealed the explanation he was given was that the club wanted a candidate with more experience and were going with someone who had managed in the Premier League - Martin had guided Southampton to the top flight after winning promotion from the Championship.
The former Rangers captain told the Warm-Up: "The said they wanted more experience. I never had the experience that, for instance, Russell Martin had.
"I got the phone call saying they were going with someone who had Premier League experience down south, and obviously, that was Russell Martin.
"I'll be honest, it did hurt. It was a sore phone call to receive. I was down. I decided to go off on holiday; I had to get away.
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"People will probably say I didn't deserve to get the job, and I totally understand that. I just thought I had a chance. I would have liked the chance to have a crack at it for at least a season.
"I spoke to Russell Martin when he got the job. He wanted to speak to me for 20 minutes in terms of the club, the players, the traditions, and the standards. Whoever was getting the job, I was always going to support them no matter what. I'm not one of those guys that spits the dummy out."
Asked if he felt let down by the club's decision, he said: "I did a bit at the start, but as time went on, that's the way life is at times. They went down a different route, and I have to respect that. I slipped back into my role as an ambassador, which I really enjoy."
Ferguson has also refused to rule out the possibility of managing Rangers again.
"I don't see myself managing anywhere else Never say never - you never know what's around the corner. I enjoyed the time, the pressure, and the sleepless nights. I enjoyed waking up at six o'clock in the morning thinking about how we were going to go about the game on the Thursday night in the Europa League or the Sunday in the league. I liked that.
"It was something different for me, totally different from the route I decided to go as a part-time manager. That wasn't for me. I had to move on. There were different things in my life, but when that opportunity came to manage, I grabbed it with both hands.
"One thing nobody can label against me is that I gave it everything I had. There were a few bumps, but there were also some really good times. I thought you saw a real connection coming back between the team and the stands, which I think has been missing at Rangers for a number of years. Hopefully, going forward, we can see that back," he added.
