Warburton brings the wow factor
Miller lauds his sixth Ibrox boss
OPERATING under six different managers during three spells of employment means Kenny Miller is intimately acquainted wi t h new beginnings at Rangers.
But can any have felt quite as emphatic as this?
Mark Warburton opened his tenure — carrying the promise of a genuinely fresh start — with a foghorn-loud declaration of intent.
Never one to knowingly miss out on a significant occasion, Miller helped r aise t he volume by adding the final two goals on an extraordinary afternoon at Easter Road. It left their main promotion rivals with a ringing in their ears to accompany the nagging noise of the Scott Allan transfer saga.
Miller is imbued with more than enough experience to remain grounded. The faltering first half — rescued by two late goals and given a blunt four out of 10 by Warburton — suggests Rangers will not be playing f or many goalless draws this season.
Nevertheless, this was an immensely positive introduction, marked by a high-tempo brand of passing football. Miller firmly believes Warburton’s nascent side will now only improve in all departments as the new campaign unfolds.
The 35- year- old stands as a survivor of l ast term’s dismal travails, which led to the release of 11 first-team players. It was a cull that provided Warburton with something close to a blank canvas. Seven new signings made their competitive debuts on Saturday, leaving Miller excited by the potential witnessed.
James Tavernier was the pick of the incomers, crowning a barnstorming display at right- back with the exquisite f ree - kick that drew Rangers l evel after Hibs had dominated the opening 39 minutes.
The bustling presence of Martyn Waghorn was rewarded with a goal either side of the break, while Andy Halliday continued to live out a boyhood dream, curling a delightful 25-yard finish in off the bar.
All Miller had to do was add some further gloss, following his 62nd minute introduction. He feels the final scoreline — and the hurdles overcome to get there — can help set the tone for a season with far greater goals than progression in the Petrofac Training Cup.
‘Of course it can,’ said Miller. ‘We want to win every game. The manager has come in and we don’t just want to win. We want to win with style.
‘The result suggests we did that but we know we can be a lot better.
‘Take nothing away from Hibs. I thought they were superb for the first 35 or 40 minutes and gave us a lot of problems.
‘So as much as we are absolutely delighted to have won 6-2, our feet are firmly on the ground.
‘We can improve. The manager has been in for four weeks and the lads who have come in got on the scoresheet. New signings all scoring is a great thing. We are only in our infancy and we are only going to get better and stronger.
‘It’s a new manager and almost a new squad. We had a l ot of departures and it is only recently that we have started to thicken up the squad again.
‘We did look thin at the start, but the manager said that we would get players. He just didn’t want to rush into it.
‘On viewing the lads in pre-season games and here, it looks as though we have made some fantastic additions to the squad.’
Asked if he felt more optimistic than at this time last year, Miller said: ‘ We were optimistic l ast season. We just didn’t know how difficult it was going to be.
‘But that’s gone now. We have a new team, new staff and everyone is looking forward.’
Miller feels creating unity among such a freshly assembled group of players is where Warburton has f ocused energy during these early weeks.
‘ He has brought a real enthusiasm,’ added the striker. ‘Obviously, he has Davie Weir with him and the two of them work very closely together. They are on the same hymn sheet and they want everyone to pull together.
‘They want to get us believing that we are a good team and get us believing in the things they want us to do.’
Miller’s sharp movement from a l eft- wing berth delivered two close-range finishes, polishing off fine crosses from Nicky Clark and Barrie McKay. It suggested that, for all the focus on a new, younger breed of Rangers player, he can yet play a crucial role under Warburton.
‘I had a niggly injury at the start of the season, which was disappointing, so I’m just happy to be involved on the first day,’ added Miller.
‘There is no doubt competition is healthy at any club. Of course you want to be the first name on the teamsheet, but you need competition.
‘We have a good dressing room and everyone is pulling together
and is focused on one thing this year.’ Hibs opened the scoring through an excellent Sam Stanton strike and briefly threatened a revival when a Jason Cummings penalty reduced arrears to 3-2 on the hour mark. Yet so much of the attention was focused on a player who was not part of their starting line-up. Alan Stubbs benched Allan after he was the subject of two failed bids from Rangers last week, feeling it would have been wrong to expose him to more of the ‘circus’ that has surrounded his future.
The 23-year- old playmaker did appear in the 54th minute — to an ovation from both sets of fans — and expended no little effort on behalf of his current employers.
Allan has told Hibs he wants to join Rangers, but Stubbs remains adamant that will not be happening during the current window.
‘The best way to settle this is with three words: Not for sale,’ insisted the Easter Road boss. ‘This is put to bed here and now.’
That may be a little optimistic, with Allan now thought to be considering a formal transfer request as Rangers weigh up a third offer.
Miller was reluctant to be drawn into the debate surrounding the midfielder but underlined his belief that Warburton had already assembled strong options.
‘If you look throughout the squad, we have good competition all over the field,’ he argued. ‘At the back, up front or through the midfield.
‘Listen, Scott Allan is a Hibs player. It’s not up to me whether we sign him or don’t sign him.
‘We are all focused on moving on to next week.’