Shopping local still pays for Warburton
FOCUSING on domestic produce rather than importing wholesale from a more risky overseas market, Mark Warburton is a firm believer in supporting local ‘retailers’. As long as they’re reasonable about the price...
But it’s not just out of some patriotic urge to buy British that the Englishman in charge of transfer policy at Rangers is shopping for players in Scotland and the rest of the UK.
The Ibrox boss likes to think he recognises quality when he sees it.
He also understands how long it can take some foreign players to settle on these shores, even without the added complication of coping with the leap in expectations that comes with a move to Rangers.
Fully prepared to spread the net when required, and eager that his signings this month should be part of a bigger strategy being put together for what he hopes will be his first experience of the Scottish top flight after the summer, Warburton points to the pre-season acquisition of Hearts kid Jason Holt, in particular, as evidence of local strength.
The ex-Brentford boss said: ‘The signings I make now are boys I want to bed in. Of course, they would have a part to play in the rest of the season — but the idea is for them to make an impact at the next level.
‘Is there value in Scotland? Absolutely. It’s about making sure the valuation meets ours — and making sure we can get the players when we want them.
‘But there is value out there. I am amazed at this negativity surrounding the Scottish game. There are very good players up here. It’s about challenging them and getting the best out of them by giving them opportunities.
‘Jason Holt is not 23 until February. He’s scored 19 goals from midfield, he has a fantastic engine, with great quality and pitch geography and movement.
‘Barrie McKay’s just turned 21. He has been outstanding. I’m just amazed at this negativity that people can’t see the quality up here.’
Warburton, who revealed a new contract for McKay was very close, said the long-term deals signed by Holt and Andy Halliday this week represented a declaration of faith in the home-grown talents, insisting: ‘There was no sympathy vote with the deals.
‘They have earned those contracts. Everyone will now be geared to their next contracts. We, as a club, need to have that flexibility in place that we can respond to players doing well.
‘Those two have shown already they have quality but there is loads more to come. Andy’s been asked to play out of position and he’s done exceptionally well. Jason has just got better and better. There’s loads more to come from him.
‘If we get the ones we’re after this month, it leaves us in good shape. We have some decisions to make in the summer.
‘Don’t forget how young our squad is. We are including 18-year-olds like Jordan Thompson, Ryan Hardie… these are young boys who will need to go out at some stage to get the experience they need.
‘There’s nothing that can replicate fighting for three points on a Saturday afternoon, dealing with the physicality and decisionmaking and everything else.
‘Our squad is still light. It has been all season. We don’t want a heavy squad but you have to deal with injuries and suspensions. We will absolutely look to bring in more in the summer.
‘It’s important when you first come in to any club that you try to be as risk-free as possible — and you do that by going domestic. The first two or three you bring in, you want less of a risk. ‘That’s nothing against
foreign guys, far from it. But you are talking about relocating families, houses, schools, all of that comes into the equation.
‘That’s a bigger risk. The first six or nine months is about less risk. But work is being done now towards the summer period with players who have the quality to come in and make an impact.’
Obviously eager to strengthen in virtually every area, Warburton is blunt about the challenge facing incumbents when new arrivals start barrelling through the doors at Murray Park. And equally frank about how they should cope
with increased competition. ‘When you come to a club like Rangers, you need to expect competition — always,’ he said. ‘It wouldn’t be Rangers otherwise.
‘The good, confident players want new faces coming in. They want the quality to win things, simple as that.
‘If they are going to be fearful of their positions, then they shouldn’t be here in the first place. Yes, there is competition, don’t shy away from it. You should enjoy it.
‘They need to know we will bring in players who will fit in to our dressing room. That’s really important and a lot of the work we put in involves what they are about off the pitch as well as on it.’ Warburton has taken time to adapt to the new environment himself, admitting to being just a little baffled by how drastically the mood music surrounding the club can swing in the space of a few results — positive or otherwise.
‘We’ve got to recognise it’s just expectation,’ he said. ‘There’s an inquest after every point that gets dropped.
‘But this is a young team and you’ve seen how they have responded. Every time we’ve dropped points — against Morton and Livingston — we’ve used it, we’ve learned from it.
‘We’ve looked at areas we’ve had to improve. When to be adventurous in certain areas, when to be tighter. We’ve maintained the attacking philosophy and we have shown that against Hibs, Dumbarton and Cowdenbeath.
‘I listen to radio shows every night, read the papers every morning. I hear it. It’s incredible. People are looking for a story when there isn’t one. You drop points and it’s a mini-crisis. There isn’t one.
‘There’s a lot more to it. Look at the club, the new faces who need time to settle in. There are changing training regimes and families moving.
‘Everything causes an impact. If you get a new job in Plymouth and take the family with you, it takes a few weeks to settle in. People need to look at the bigger picture.’