Confidence key for Warburton as his men target revenge
RANGERS manager Mark Warburton insists his side will enter next weekend’s Old Firm revenge mission with a mounting sense of self-belief and a determination to go for the jugular.
Warburton came in for severe criticism in the wake of last month’s 5-1 loss to Celtic at Parkhead and concedes that he made mistakes in terms of team selection.
However, he senses a growing confidence within his squad ahead of Sunday’s Betfred Cup semi-final at Hampden despite a below-par start, and hopes for the same kind of attitude which saw them defeat their biggest rivals in the Scottish Cup last term.
Certainly, Warburton is clear when asked what he would change about the approach used in that defeat at the hands of Brendan Rodgers’ men five weeks ago.
‘I think playing more on the front foot,’ he replied. ‘We went into that game lacking self-belief.
‘That would be the one thing, which sounds a little bit random in terms of how you sum up self-belief.
‘We went into the semi-final last season with no lack of belief at all and confidence in what we were going to do. It has to be that way.
‘New players coming in and trying to bed them in weakens that self-belief because you haven’t built it yet. ‘There are a number of factors, but I think what we have to do is go into any game with confidence in our shape, our fitness, our style and enjoy playing football. ‘I’ve put my hand up before and said the midfield was Joey Barton, Niko Kranjcar, Josh Windass — three new players . Philippe Senderos was also just playing his first game other than 90 minutes in Linfield and Joe Garner was playing, so we had half of a new team.
‘Maybe, in hindsight, there were too many changes.
‘But Jason Holt wasn’t fit, certain other players weren’t fit and ready. We now know what we have to do.’
Warburton, in just two fixtures, has experienced the full spectrum of emotions when it comes to the Old Firm occasion, from the highs of last term to that low at Parkhead and its fall-out.
It has been a steep learning curve and one which has left an indelible mark on him.
‘You almost welcome the first whistle going,’ he said. ‘The build-up to it is so intense that you think: “Thank God for that”.
‘I looked around Hampden, I looked about Parkhead — I haven’t enjoyed one at Ibrox yet — and this is one of the biggest games in world football.
‘I think you have to realise that, when all the dust has settled, it is an honour and a privilege to be involved.
‘I think any footballer should come into their own in those games.
‘I understand the local hunger the (Andy) Hallidays and (Kenny) Millers have, but I think any player must be desperate to play in such a game and be privileged to play in such a game.’
Warburton accepts that not every footballer is capable of functioning in such an environment.
‘That’s part of the recruitment side of it,’ he said. ‘But you don’t know, do you?
‘You can be fine playing in front of 10 or 15 thousand people, then you’re suddenly in front of 50 or 60 thousand with an intimidating, cauldrontype atmosphere.
‘How will they react? How will they react if the first pass goes into touch?
‘You hope your recruitment is going to be right, but you never really know until you throw them in.
‘You hope you get as many of your checks right as is possible, but, if you make a mistake, you make a mistake.’
Celtic, of course, face a midweek Champions League meeting with German side Borussia Mönchengladbach, which could be seen as working in Rangers’ favour, but Warburton is not so sure.
‘Over the course of a season, you’re going to get that,’ he said. ‘We’ve just found out our game against Hearts is on November 30 and then we play Aberdeen on the Saturday.
‘These games get thrown in there. I don’t agree with it, but it is what it is.’
Even with marquee signing Barton looking set to miss out on a second Old Firm test, Warburton is happier with the resources at his disposal than he was prior to visiting Parkhead on league business earlier in the campaign.
‘We have a slightly bigger squad this time, by two players,’ he said.
‘It’s all about making sure the balance and unity is right and the training is right.
‘All these various aspects. If you can get the environment right, the players will respond to it.’