King accuses Warbs as Eck odds slashed
King raps Warbs Eck fave for hotseat
Dave King last night launched a scathing attack on departed Rangers boss Mark Warburton.
In a savage statement, the Ibrox chairman accused the Englishman of leaking private boardroom information and squandering his transfer kitty
on duds. And King says all along Warburton was using Gers to work his ticket to the English Premier League.
The Ibrox owner says the club were forced to accept the manager’s resignation after an agent tried to broker a deal that would see the management team find a new club, believed to be Nottingham Forest. But
MailSport understands Warburton is furious at King’s claims and, with Davie Weir and Frank McParland, is taking legal advice.
But he refused to hit back at King – and was adamant he HASN’T quit. Warburton told MailSport: “It’s essential I retain a dignified silence. I can’t become embroiled in a war of words.”
King had no such concern as he spoke to Rangers fans last night via the club’s website. He alleged that secrets had been leaked to the press after the board met in January to review Warburton’s recruitment and performance.
The inquiry was called, he said, because of the high level of wages being paid out, yet targets were not being met.
King said: “Such a review is normally confidential. In this instance our board’s routine questioning of management was leaked to the media.
“The leak didn’t come from a board member. It’s
clear the manager did not respond well to the board reviewing his recruitment activity.”
King claims the Ibrox board were deeply unhappy anyway at Warburton’s demands for extra cash for players – many of whom have flopped. He said the club had departed from their “prudent, phased investment” to satisfy the Englishman. The chief shareholder said: “We are nowhere near where we had anticipated. A large portion of our wage bill is not seeing regular playing time.”
Under-20s coach Graeme Murty is in charge for today’s Scottish Cup tie against Morton but an interim boss will be appointed until the end of the season. Former Ibrox boss Alex McLeish is hot 4/7 favourite for that role and will be at Ibrox today to conduct the Scottish Cup quarter-final draw.
Billy Davies is another who will be considered.
Potential contenders for the manager’s job long-term include Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes, who didn’t speak to the media yesterday, and St Johnstone gaffer Tommy Wright who has not yet been approached.
Another, Frank de Boer, said he was flattered to be linked with the Rangers job: “It is very nice but it’s not appropriate to say more.”
It’s believed Rangers will restructure the management set-up at Auchenhowie this summer and create a new director of football role.
Gers’ shortlist includes Huddersfield’s head of operations Stuart Webber, Spurs’ head of recruitment Paul Mitchell and John Park – although the former Celtic chief scout is set to join MLS team Vancouver Whitecaps.
Southampton director Ross Wilson has also been linked but wants to stay at St Mary’s.