RANGERS yesterday unveiled the blueprint drafted to prepare the perennial Scottish champions for the expected advent of a European League by the year 2000.

Manager Walter Smith and his assistant Archie Knox have signed three-year extensions to their Ibrox contracts.

Smith has also recruited Dane Tommy Molter-Nielsen, the 34-year-old son of former Danish international boss Richard, as first-team coach to replace Davie Dodds.

"I've followed Rangers for 15 years," said Molter-Nielsen, to general surprise. "It came about because the former Rangers player Kai Johansson became friendly with my father at that time and through him I started to support the club. On my mother's side there is a family connection in Aberdeen."

Rangers chairman David Murray revealed the backroom appointment is just the start of a summer signing spree which will include a new training facility and, possibly, no fewer than nine new players by July.

Murray confirmed his desire to consign `nine-in-a-row' to the history books, saying he and Smith had resorted to "short-termism" in recent seasons in order to equal Celtic's cherished record of nine successive Scottish titles.

"I do believe that the parochial element of `nine-in-a-row' has held us back over the past couple of seasons. `Ten-in-a-row' will take care of itself we'll either win it or we won't but dramatic change has to come."

Rangers crave making a bigger impact on Europe even though they must walk a July 23rd and 30th qualifying round tightrope for the Champions' League, when failure would mean an exit before the premier division has begun.

Changes in the playing staff are already happening. Richard Gough and David Robertson have gone and Smith has lined up Swedish international midfielder Jonas Thern from Roma, Australian full-back Tony Vidmar from NAC Breda and German goalkeeper Georg Koch from Dusseldorf.

Rangers have also confirmed their interest in Inter Milan defenders Massimo Paganin and Alessandro Pistone.