BLUE CHIP TRADERS
Warburton and McParland have recruited nine players this summer despite operating in the toughest transfer market they have known. Are their efforts about to pay off?
ACARD display in the Sandy Jardine stand will come together this lunchtime to greet Rangers on their return to top-flight football after a four-year absence.
Spelling out ‘Going for 55’, the message of intent would seem clear enough. There was always going to be an immediate desire to mark the comeback with a genuine title challenge.
For Mark Warburton and his staff, the work to make that a possibility has meant becoming immersed in a very different numbers game. One of juggling the figures to get the right people through the door.
The Ibrox manager insists the ever-increasing power of the financial behemoth south of the border has created the toughest transfer market conditions he has known. Yet nine new players have still been added to a squad he now believes can give Celtic a serious run for their potentially Champions League-boosted money.
Bringing in youthful talents Jordan Rossiter, Joe Dodoo, Josh Windass and Matt Crooks at the end of contracts in England cost a total of around £500,000 in cross-border compensation. An undisclosed fee was paid to MK Dons to add full-back Lee Hodson.
The more experienced figures of Joey Barton, Niko Kranjcar, Clint Hill and Matt Gilks all arrived as free transfers, but obviously helped to hike the overall wage bill.
Warburton feels Rangers have signed well and lauds head of recruitment Frank McParland for providing the shrewd insight needed. He feels the Ibrox club have had to be smarter than ever to find the talent needed, keeping clear heads to try to meet the emotional expectations of their support.
‘It is what it is — it’s all about supply and demand,’ said Warburton. ‘We can’t get into the auction in England because we can’t compete.
‘This week, we went for a young loan player and eight or nine Championship clubs were in for him, too.
‘They could all pay full wages and that wage would smash our highest out of the water, so that’s the state of the market. We have to do our business in a different manner, for example cross-border.
‘It is difficult. But you either walk away or you find a way of resolving it. Rangers have to find a way of beating it. It is about relationships with certain clubs, showing what we can offer.
‘We are happy with the business we’ve done. It’s clear to see we’ve added good balance. We need ruggedness, we needed experience and maturity to maintain the development of the young players.
‘If we can add one or two more, then great. But if we can’t, then I’m more than happy with what we’ve got.’
When McParland arrived at Rangers from Burnley last October, Warburton claimed it would be one of the most important signings he ever made.
The Liverpudlian’s personal contacts were crucial in bringing Barton and Rossiter north. While the full merits of all nine signings will be assessed and debated over the coming months, value is unlikely to be an issue given the limited nature of the fees.
Rangers were actually given a rather painful reminder of McParland’s past work when Andre Gray scored a hat-trick for Burnley in last weekend’s friendly at Ibrox.
The striker had been on £500-a-week at Luton Town before McParland targeted him in a £500,000 deal for Brentford. When the talent-spotter then switched to Turf Moor, he insisted there would still be value in the £7million-plus it would cost to bring Gray with him. And so it has proven.
McParland’s signings over a long spell at Liverpool have also continued to earn the Anfield club money, beyond the £48m raked in for Raheem Sterling last year.
Last month, Jordon Ibe — bought four years ago for £700,000 — made a £15m switch to Bournemouth. The south-coast side also agreed a deal of up to £6m for Australian left-back Brad Smith, initially acquired for free.
‘Would we have got the nine players without Frank’s influence? No, I don’t believe so,’ said Warburton.
‘I said at the time he’s one of the very best and we’re being supported by the board.
‘That line of communication is really important but you need expertise. The recruitment head is worth his weight in gold.
‘Look at the fees being paid down south. I saw one guy said it was a shocking result (we had) against Burnley. Andre Gray, I think, is a now £25-£30m striker. He was £500,000 two years ago.
‘The centre-half (Michael) Keane, I think he is a £25m player. If John Stones is going for £50m, then he is £25m.
‘People say it can’t last but I don’t think it has even started yet. The market, the game in Asia, it is going to change and it is going to keep going north. We have to look for ways to improve the
investment in this game (in Scotland), otherwise the gap is going to get wider.’
For Warburton, though, it is now about watching what gaps might develop between the Premiership sides as the new season unfolds.
He expects Hamilton Accies to have a go at Ibrox this lunchtime, in what promises to be an intense occasion for all associated with Rangers. The backing of a sell-out crowd is warmly appreciated, yet Warburton also hopes there is a degree of patience in the stands.
‘The funny thing is, I watched the Burnley game again three times — twice on Saturday night and once on Sunday,’ he said. ‘I watched the game with no sound and it was a completely different game. You watch it and you think we were really, really poor in the first half, much better in the second. When I watched it back with no sound, I thought: “Hmmm .... ”.
‘You realise the fans’ expectations and their demands. We understand them but we hope also they understand the effort going in to take the club back to where it used to be.
‘You’ve got to look forward to occasions like this.
‘I appreciate the occasion and the players understand the importance of Rangers returning to the top flight after four years away.’