WARBURTON BACK ON THE DEFENSIVE
THE criticism which irks Mark Warburton most concerns transfers. The lingering accusation that, last summer, the players he recruited for Rangers simply didn’t work.
One, in particular, is hard to dispute. Joey Barton came with a big reputation, enormous hype and a hefty salary. He was gone within four months, intensifying the focus on the new arrivals.
The Ibrox boss argues that was unfair. Barton, he believes, has overshadowed his other captures to a disproportionate degree.
‘People obviously point to certain individuals and that skews it,’ said Warburton. ‘I get frustrated when I first read reports that the best transfer business of last summer, by far, was by Rangers — and then a few weeks later it’s deemed shocking.
‘Well, what’s changed? There is no science — you never get every one right.
‘We’ve brought in 23 or 24 players now. A lot of them — Wes Foderingham, Rob Kiernan, James Tavernier, Martyn Waghorn — haven’t done too badly, have they?’
Nevertheless, Barton was the poster boy, the signing on which so much appeared to hinge. Niko Kranjcar and Jordan Rossiter were the other high-profile signings of the summer and injury has denied either the chance to shine in a Rangers shirt.
Kranjcar was ruled out for the season with a knee injury. Rossiter, a former England Under-19 international, played just six games before succumbing to a number of persistent, niggling ailments.
Misfortune, rather than negligence, explains both. Yet, to have one big signing fall down is human; three risks looking careless.
Dismissing suggestions he might have used his resources better last summer, the Rangers boss launches a spirited defence.
‘If I mention the names of Andre Gray, James Tarkowski or Moses Odubajo — I can reel them off quite comfortably, not in an arrogant way,’ he said of his previous successes in the transfer market when manager of Brentford.
‘Then I look at the players who were brought in at Rangers last year, for little or no money, and then this year.
‘I look at the likes of Lee Hodson and Clint Hill. Then you have Wes Foderingham being outstanding this season — I think that’s because Matt Gilks has come in and pushed him hard in training for his place every single day.
‘Josh Windass came in and is working really well. Matt Crooks has gone out on loan because he has to play games, but he will come back and be a good Rangers player.
‘Niko Kranjcar got injured, there’s nothing we can do about that. It was very unfortunate. Jordan Rossiter is injured, as well. That’s life, it happens.
‘But I think some of the questions raised over our transfer record have been very, very poor.
‘I think it is unfair. Just look at the facts. Matt has come in on a free and pushed Wes, Lee came in on a free and is figuring in the team, Clint has come in on a free and is arguably one of the first names on the team sheet.
‘Josh has come in for very little money, a young boy, and does well. Niko comes in on a free and was hitting form before his injury...’
Much of this comes with the territory when managing Rangers or Celtic, of course.
A signing can never be simply unfortunate. He quickly becomes the worst signing ever.
Nevertheless, on any future list of Rangers signings which simply didn’t work, Barton is destined to join the likes of the late Daniel Prodan and Oleg Salenko.
An expensive gamble on a player with a chequered past which backfired horribly.
Even so, Warburton claims he would take the same route again, adding: ‘I wouldn’t have any hesitation in signing a bigname player.
‘Any time you recruit in any job, it’s a risk. You’ve got to look at what you need and, if that player meets our player profiles, then we will make the move.
‘You can’t judge players on what has happened in the past. Everyone is different.
‘Some start poorly — others hit the ground running.
‘You look at the number of players we have brought in and I would say it’s quite a high success rate. Our track record is not bad.’
The problem is clear. A Rangers team — like a Celtic team — will always be compared to their rivals across the city.
Warburton is weary of hearing about a 19-point gap at the top of the Premiership, insisting his team have met their core goals. Yet the fact remains: it clouds everything.
‘We know what we have to do,’ he continued. ‘We understand it’s a rebuilding job. Honesty is the best policy and we always try to tell you what we’re doing.’
The Scottish Cup offers an opportunity to silence critics and atone for the final minutes of last season’s late collapse against Hibernian in the final.
Preparing for Saturday’s clash with Premiership rivals Motherwell, Warburton added: ‘There is a genuine sense of unfinished business from last year. But, as with the league, it is only one game at a time, it has to be. Motherwell are tough opponents.
‘I think they dropped a few points league-wise and I am sure they will come here with a focus on the football. They will be more relaxed and will be looking to enjoy the Cup. We are well aware of what we face. We are looking forward to it.’