Rangers want Warburton for long term

EXCLUSIVE

RANGERS hope to secure Mark Warburton on an extended contract ahead of their Premiership return. The Ibrox manager, who will seek to crown an impressive first season in charge by defeating Hibernian in today’s Scottish Cup Final, is almost 12 months into the three-year deal he signed last June.

Sportsmail understands, however, that moves to try to refresh that arrangement are likely to progress during the summer break that will follow the Hampden showpiece. Warburton delivered promotion with an 11-point winning margin in the Championship and also added the Petrofac Training Cup, a prize that had eluded Rangers during the previous three seasons. Those achievements, following on from a successful spell at Brentford, have not gone unnoticed south of the border. And Warburton’s stock would only rise further if victory over Hibs brought European football back to Ibrox a year ahead of schedule. The 53-year-old is fully focused on his work in Glasgow and is already well down the line in terms of strengthening for next season. Jordan Rossiter, Josh Windass and Matt Crooks have all agreed summer arrivals, while a bold move to land Joey Barton remains ongoing. As Sportsmail revealed yesterday, however, interest from Newcastle United in head

WHAT began in front of the hedge at Brechin City’s Glebe Park on a distinctly damp afternoon in July 2012 will now end before orchestrated fireworks at the national stadium.

For Lee Wallace, today’s Scottish Cup Final provides a chance to make a fresh piece of history and also to bid farewell to the past four years in the most exquisite manner possible.

The Rangers captain has been through it all. Ever-present during the climb through the divisions, Wallace has provided a steady heartbeat to their existence outside of Scottish football’s top flight.

There have been points when days like this seemed so distant. Disappointment and disruption were regular companions en route. Now, however, a first major trophy for Rangers since the 2011 League Cup is beckoning.

Wallace joined from Hearts the season after that extra-time success over Celtic, not long before the financial meltdown at Ibrox changed everything. He has spent the intervening time striving to restore the club’s standing.

So don’t try telling him that Hibernian’s epic 114-year wait for Scottish Cup success somehow means this final is more significant to their Easter Road rivals.

‘It means the world to us,’ insisted Wallace (right). ‘We know in a football sense that it is just another game for us. Hibs are just another opponent trying to stop us from winning a cup final.

‘We are aware of everything else that is at stake in terms of them and their history but we also know what we can do in terms of the journey for the guys who have been there, suffered the drop, been part of the process to get us back to where we should be playing.

‘We have done that. We won the Petrofac Cup along the way and we can now make it a really great season if all goes well. It is certainly one we are confident of, but we are aware of their threat, as well.’

Wallace has bought wholesale into Mark Warburton’s methods. To the left-back, the arrival of the Londoner as manager last summer was a key turning point in terms of aiming again for these showpiece events at Hampden.

‘I started to generate that belief after the manager first spoke to us,’ admitted Wallace.

‘After suffering the disappointment we had last year, it quickly turned to looking forward to things again, looking forward to what can be.

‘Naturally, cup finals are part of that — especially Scottish Cup Finals — because there are not many of us in the dressing room who have made it there.

‘We were expected to lift the Championship. We did that in style and by a number of points. I am not sure we were expected to win the Scottish Cup.

‘We know in-house what our goal was at the start of the season and a lot of questions came about after the St Johnstone result (losing in the League Cup).

‘There were questions whether we could play this style against Premiership opposition, but we have been able to do that on three occasions since then. It would be a dream for everyone in our dressing room to cap off what would become a great season.’ The dream has loomed large in Wallace’s mind over Rangers’ 20-day period of preparation. He would be the one to ascend the steps and lift the trophy should they prevail. He added. ‘You look to moments like this in your career. You do so as a player because you’ve done so since you were a little boy. ‘The guys in the dressing room are no different. Collectively, we know what we need to do.

‘The games with Hibs have been tight. For neutrals, it has probably been one of the better games to watch in terms of drama. ‘We edge it three versus two at the moment but they are a strong, tough opponent. If we can impose our style, then we’re confident.

‘But we respect Hibs. They are a good side with good individual players who can hurt us.’

Wallace feels the rest Rangers received after the end of the Championship season has been beneficial and is in no doubt they will be able to switch the intensity back on this afternoon.

Whether this is actually his last game of the season remains to be seen. Alongside Barrie McKay, the Ibrox skipper has been called up for Scotland’s forthcoming friendlies against Italy and France.

Warburton has, however, expressed reservations about a potential lack of rest, especially if Rangers secure a July start in the Europa League qualifiers by lifting the Scottish Cup.

While expressing his delight at being called up, Wallace admitted: ‘These discussions will have to take place in the next couple of days whatever the outcome of Saturday’s game. The break we had in this recent period was great for myself just nursing a few things along. Not to sound overdramatic, but with the knee issue I have had, it was good to get that wee break.

‘I have had a programme in place to get myself along in these last few weeks, these last few months. I think what’s most important to me is that I’m the best I can be whenever Rangers report back.’