SIX KEY ISSUES FOR NEW BOSS TO DEAL WITH
1. SORT OUT THE DEFENCE
In the longer-term, Rangers need to look at wider issues such as scouting networks and the overall organisation of the footballing department. In the immediate-term, cutting out silly goals and becoming harder to breach at the back must be a priority.
Warburton’s last two matches summed up so many issues. The 4-1 defeat at Hearts was a defensive disaster with Rob Kiernan badly exposed. In the 1-1 home draw with Ross County, though, Alex Schalk’s goal was only one of several occasions in which the defence parted like the Red Sea.
The rearguard has looked more solid with Lee Hodson at right-back and the more swashbuckling James Tavernier in midfield. Clint Hill seems to have established himself as the main centre-back, but a lack of pace means Rangers cannot really play a high line and there may be more of a need to rein in the attacking instincts of the full-backs whilst reviewing the instructions given to keeper Wes Foderingham to always play out from the back no matter what.
2. SWITCH UP THE TACTICS
They may ‘dominate the football’ in games and win lots of corners. Unfortunately, Rangers do not score often enough and they certainly are not all that clever at keeping the ball out at the other end.
One big criticism of Warburton was his unwillingness to move away from his 4-3-3 formation when it wasn’t working. It made it all the more alarming when he signed a £1.8million striker in Joe Garner (right) and conceded he was ‘entrenched in 4-4-2’.
Rangers need to find a way of becoming more direct. They need to start games on the front foot more often and really force the issue. They also need greater discipline in terms of shape when in possession, making sure players are not caught badly out of position when the opposition win the ball back and break.
3. WIN BIG GAMES ON THE ROAD
Warburton simply could not win matches that mattered away from Rangers’ imposing home stadium. Last season in the Championship, despite winning promotion comfortably by 11 points in the end, Rangers could not get the better of Hibernian or Falkirk at Easter Road or Westfield, respectively. In the Premiership, they have lost at Celtic Park, have suffered two resounding defeats at Tynecastle and went down 2-1 at Aberdeen. They also drew at fifth-placed St Johnstone and have to travel to Parkhead and Pittodrie again before the 33-game split later this year. Should Graeme Murty get the side through today’s Scottish Cup fifth-round match with Championship high-fliers Morton, a good cup run could also hinge on going to a difficult away venue and eking out a big result.
4. CREATE EXPECTATIONS
Towards the end of his tenure, Warburton’s public pronouncements were becoming ever more bemusing, offering greater weight to the suspicion he never got a proper handle on the Rangers job. His insistence that sitting 27 points behind Celtic and battling with Aberdeen and Hearts for second — two teams with far smaller budgets — was perfectly acceptable sent out all the wrong messages. Blaming an inability to beat Ross County on the ‘random’ nature of football and going on about corner counts only hammered the final nail into his coffin. The new man must understand that Rangers expect, at worst, to finish a comfortable second. He has to embrace that, buy into that philosophy and make it clear to players and fans that settling for a win rate in the league of 50 per cent can never be acceptable at Ibrox.
5. APPOINT A SOLID ASSISTANT COACH
The Rangers job can be all-consuming. It is easy to lose yourself in it, particularly when things are not going well. That is why having a trusted, knowledgeable right-hand man — someone capable of offering a strong second opinion — is essential. Graeme Souness had Walter Smith. Smith had Archie Knox and, second time round, Ally McCoist. Alex McLeish leaned on Andy Watson and, should he return, would surely bring Alex Rae. Warburton seemed to have the ideal sidekick in David Weir, but the one-time Ibrox centre-back kept a surprisingly low profile and proved unable to address defensive deficiencies. If he did offer advice on dealing with the Glasgow goldfish bowl, it does not appear Warburton took much notice.
6. KEEP KENNY MILLER MOTIVATED
Miller, even aged 37, has been Rangers’ best player by far. He is also an excellent professional, but being left in the dark when approaching senior management to ask about a new contract is likely to have placed doubts in his head.
He will surely now understand why it was impossible for the board to give assurances, but he is free to talk to other clubs and is unlikely to know what the future holds at Ibrox until a new, permanent manager is in place.
He has to consider his options. Will that lead to his focus drifting from a season in which he has already had to bear more than his fair share of responsibility? It is unlikely, but it is something the new man needs to stay on top of, because Rangers need Miller to remain firing.