Dick Advocaat has lavished praise on Dave Murray for giving him his greatest days in management.
In 1998 Murray literally burst the bank to fund the ambitions of his new manager after watching Wim Jansen deny him 10-in-a-row.
Murray could do no wrong in the eyes of the Bank of Scotland as they funded a spending spree that was greater than the club turnover.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Colin Hendry, Andrei Kanchelskis, Gabrial Amato and Daniel Prodan all arrived to take Sevco to Champions League glory.
In December 2001 Advocaat walked away after leading Rangers (IL) to the last 32 of the UEFA Cup with the SPL trophy well on it’s way to Martin O’Neill’s Celtic for the second season running.
As he approaches his 70th birthday Advocaat looked back on dozens of jobs in management but one club and one chairman has a special place in his bank account.
“I have had some terrific clubs in my career. Haarlem, PSV, Rangers, Gladbach, Zenit, AZ Alkmaar, Fenerbahce,” he boasted to The Sun.
“I have been able to coach Russia during Euro 2012, and manage South Korea at the World Cup finals in Germany.
“I have managed Belgium, the UAE and Holland’s national teams but if you ask me what was the best time of my career, I will say Glasgow Rangers.
“What a club they are. They are adored by so many people, and they have such history.
“I spent four years with them, and worked hard but it was over in a minute – I was so tired and could not do it any more.
“Chairman David Murray didn’t want to let me leave under any circumstances, and made me the club’s technical director.
“He sent the Dutch FA packing three times when they came in for me. In the end I forced through my departure, as I could not say no to my country.
“I previously turned down offers to coach Real Madrid and Feyenoord in order to work for the Dutch FA.”
The self styled little general added: “David Murray told me that I would have been a successful businessman had I not worked in football.
“Compliments like that do me good. I am honoured by them.”
Out of his seven visits to face the hoops at Celtic Park Advocaat managed to lose 6-2 and 5-1.
In 2008 he led Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory in an unforgettable night for the people of Manchester.
Advocaat received £1.5m in ‘EBT’ payements during his time at Ibrox.