FROM THE TOP

Rangers must get it right at highest level, says Rodgers

BRENDAN RODGERS believes leading managers will look for the right structure and strategy at the very top of Rangers before agreeing to replace Mark Warburton.

The Celtic boss admits he feels for his former Watford colleague after Warburton made a contentious exit from Ibrox seven days ago.

Rangers chairman Dave King followed up that announcement with a highly critical statement in which he accused the 54-year-old of using the club as a stepping stone.

Attention has now turned to who will take over at Ibrox, with a director of football also being sought.

Rodgers insists his happiness with the smooth functioning of Celtic under major shareholder Dermot Desmond and chief executive Peter Lawwell was key to him being lured to Glasgow last summer.

And he feels potential candidates for the post across the city will have to make a similar judgment if approached by the Ibrox hierarchy.

Asked if the Rangers job was still a real attraction for managers in England, Rodgers said: ‘I don’t know how it’s perceived. If you look at the fanbase, what’s there for home and away games, then people look at that.

‘The key thing you look at as a manager, before anything, is the alignment at the

top of the club. That’s what you look at. I came into here and looked to see if it is aligned at the top of the club. ‘One, in terms of the interest — that’s shareholders and their interest. Two, its strategy. ‘If you don’t have that alignment, you can put in what you want, a director of football or four managers, it’s very, very tough. ‘If there is alignment at that level, it will allow you to build, develop and grow. If a serious manager is looking at that, it is something that has to be right. If they think it’s workable it can be a good job.’ Before his exit, Warburton admitted he had no contact with South Africabased King beyond board meetings. Rodgers, though, feels a positive personality mix in the key positions is essential when deciding what club to join. ‘It’s not about the club, it’s about the right club,’ he added. ‘I was always told that, especially if it’s one of your first jobs, you are definitely (joining) for the chairman. As you grow older you can look at it and see, but it’s about the right club. ‘Thankfully, for me I had a great feeling the first time I met with Dermot and Peter. I loved the enthusiasm for the club. I felt the confidence that I could come in and impose how I wanted to work with freedom. ‘I respect the workings of the club, the dynamics of the club, the financial side and all of that. We can really work together. That is vitally important. ‘There is no big confusion. There are major shareholders at Celtic who invest in the club. But sensibly. There is consistency in how the club is run. There is no fragmented approach. ‘It’s very simple — Peter on a day-today basis, me in football. That’s it. I speak with Dermot; that’s the leadership. There are no messages on email, no nothing. It’s very simple and simplicity is the best way.’