My job’s here, insists Rangers boss over England link
● Warburton ‘flattered’ to be mentioned in connection with Southgate role but says his sights are on transfer window
Rangers are currently 40-1 to overhaul Celtic and win the Premiership title and their manager, Mark Warburton, is also a long shot as far as taking over from Gareth Southgate as the man in charge of England’s Under-21 side.
The former Brentford boss is believed to be on a shortlist of candidates who have not applied to, but may be contacted by, the Football Association in connection with the vacancy.
Applications close today and bookmakers have priced Scot Dougie Freedman and Terry Butcher, the former Hibernian manager, at 25-1 and rate their prospects of landing the position higher than Warburton’s.
The 54-year-old Rangers boss claims to be “flattered” to have had his name mentioned in connection to the role, which needs filled due to Southgate having been confirmed as the successor to Sam Allardyce with the senior side.
“It’s flattering to be linked with any job, especially one of that stature with the national association,” he said.
“But it is a privilege to be here, a privilege to have the Rangers job. We have a job to do, we are 18 months into a project and I am fully committed to that project. It is flattering, but nothing more than that.”
However, when he was asked if any approach from the FA would be rebuffed, Warburton’s response seemed equivocal: “I have a job to do here. This is a huge club and I am very fortunate to be here, simple as that. I am looking forward to the job in hand here.
“I enjoy the job and as I say this is a huge club. I don’t say that lightly. I have been at other clubs and know this is a huge club.
“I am very fortunate to have the position and I am enjoying it very much.
“I think we have done well. We probably have to push on because the demands of the club are there for all to see. You can’t talk about weight of expectation and then not recognise what it really is.
“This club has to get back to where it was before, it’s as simple as that. That’s our job.”
Working for England clearly has an appeal for the Londoner. “[Becoming manager of your national team] has to be [an ambition],” he said. “Any coach starting out on the rung has to think, ‘How high can I go?’
“What is the dream job? Of course any manager will say [managing their country] is. You’re talking about the highest elite level of management.”
In the meantime, Warburton is seeking to add experienced midfielders to his squad when the transfer window reopens next month.
Having parted company with Joey Barton following a training-ground bust-up and lost Niko Kranjcar to injury, and with Jordan Rossiter still unavailable for selection, Warburton is desperately short when it comes to playmakers.
And, ideally, he will conclude his business as early as possible. “I would like to, because I think the longer it goes on…it’s not the case that you panic but other clubs might panic and move so I’d like to get it done,” he said.
“We are looking at targets. We are very clear on what we are looking for.
“We are looking in midfield, where we have lost players for different reasons.
“January is notoriously difficult. So loans are an obvious option for us. We need players of the right quality – players who can add quality to the team.
“It’s not about numbers; if it was, young Liam Burt or someone else from the academy could step up.
“This is about adding quality and if we could do that, great. Do I need to move players out before others can come in? No.”
Rangers will be looking for a fourth successive league win when Inverness Caledonian Thistle visit Ibrox tomorrow. The Highlanders are one of eight top-tier clubs Joe Garner has yet to score against but the 28-year-old has become a cult hero since his £1.8 million move from Preston North End.
His aggressive approach to the game can sometimes resemble rollerball more than football but Warburton believes Garner is an exception to the rule that cult heroes (see former Ibrox man Filip Sebo and ex-celtic player Enrico Annoni) tend to achieve that status through attitude rather than ability.
“The crowd respond to the work ethic, the commitment and the desire that he displays in every minute,” he said. “The players, and we as staff, can learn from it, the fact that he is totally committed in everything that he does.
“It is how Joe is. We are delighted for him. He is a real handful, an old-fashioned cen- tre forward, and the crowd respond to the fact that he gives everything.
“Joe has got to go out there and play his game and hope that the officials do a good job. You can’t lose the edge, but at the same time you have to play within the rules of the game. There is a balance there. But he is a senior pro, he knows what he is doing.”
His manager insists, though, that there is more to Garner than sledging and clattering into opponents.
“People forget he’s a very good player,” he said. “His movement, his link-up play, his touch, his awareness are all very, very good. We knew what we were bringing to the club.
“We are delighted he has settled in so quickly. The goals will come. He is frustrated at not scoring more goals, but his contribution to the team is there for all to see.”
“It’s flattering to be linked with any job, especially one of that stature with the national association. But it is a privilege to be here, a privilege to have the Rangers job. We have a job to do”
MARK WARBURTON