BIG INTERVIEW Former Rangers boss Mark Warburton...

[ian1964 10,486]

...says he wanted to sign Celtic striker Moussa Dembele – but Gers could not AFFORD him.

 

The Nottingham Forest manager reflects on his time in Glasgow including getting the Light Blues promoted and that famous win against the Hoops.

 

BY the time of his bitter farewell it was only mocking opposition fans chanting about his so-called Magic Hat.But Mark Warburton will never forget his dramatic first season as Rangers boss.

 

Then it was the Light Blues fans singing about it in jubilant tones as he led them back to the top flight in style, and sensationally beat Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final.

 

Those were unquestionably the Londoner’s best days at Ibrox.

 

Loving his job, loving the fact he had plunged the Hoops into crisis, loving the adulation of the diehards, loving his life in Glasgow’s West End.

 

Gers played flowing football and scored goals for fun in that 2015-16 Championship-winning campaign. They netted 129 goals in 50 competitive games, and took care of Kilmarnock and Dundee, as well as the Hoops, in the Cup.

 

But far from being the start of something truly special, that momentous Hampden shoot-out triumph over Celtic, which effectively ended Ronny Deila’s time as Parkhead boss, would instead prove to be the beginning of the END.

 

Defeat to Hibs — despite being 2-1 ahead with 10 minutes left — followed in the final, which was marred by an ugly post-match pitch invasion.

 

Then came a stuttering 1-1 Ibrox draw with Hamilton in an anti-climactic first Premiership game in four years.

 

Worse still, a 5-1 humiliation from Brendan Rodgers’ rejuvenated Celtic, and a vicious fall out with high-profile recruit Joey Barton.

 

By February 4, and a 1-1 home draw with Ross County which left the Gers a staggering 24-points behind Celtic, Warburton was clinging on to his job.

Behind-the-scenes his ‘relationship’ with the board was in tatters.

 

Days later he was gone, amid emphatic claims by chairman Dave King that Warbs, No 2 Davie Weir and chief scout Frank McParland had all quit. There followed just as robust denials from the trio they had not.

 

Warburton has moved on with his career. He’s been Nottingham Forest boss since last March, while a League Managers’ backed legal fight with Rangers has been dropped.

 

But regardless of the deep hurt he still feels over how he believes he was treated by King, Warbs told Inside Sport he will never allow it to cloud his feelings for Rangers.

 

In his first in-depth interview since he left Glasgow, Warburton said: “It was an absolute privilege to be manager of such a great club as Rangers.

 

“I will NEVER regret taking the job. I’ll never speak ill of the club.

 

“I was very disappointed, of course, about what happened at the end. But I’m not getting into that. I know we did our very best.

 

“When we left they were second in the Premiership and previously had got promotion, been in the Scottish Cup Final and had won the Challenge Cup.“I felt we were able to go with our heads held high.

 

“I won’t speak for Davie Weir. But knowing him as I do, I know he will have been bitterly hurt by the circumstances of our departure, especially after the service he gave to Rangers.“The whole situation was so disheartening and frustrating.”

 

Warburton didn’t hesitate when it came to picking both his best and worst moments as Gers boss, strictly in a football sense.

 

Warburton added: “It was getting Rangers back to the Premier League after where we had been.

 

“Once promotion had been secured, to be able to go out in front of the supporters was probably the most significant moment for me.“But if you are looking for a specific moment, you have got to say the penalty shoot-out triumph over Celtic. It had everything.“I loved seeing what it meant for the fans.”

 

And the worst? Warburton responded: “It had to be the 5-1 defeat to Celtic.

 

“If you remember the game, it was 2-1 and Barrie McKay went so close with a chance just after half-time.“Then they went 3-1 ahead and I had one substitution left. We were still in the game.

 

“But Rob Kiernan pulled his hamstring and had to come off. Then within another few minutes Philippe Senderos got a straight red card.“So, I’ve lost two centre-halves, I’ve used my last sub, and I’ve got Joey Barton playing centre-half.

 

“It was about me being smashed 5-1. Yet it was 3-1 when I lose two centre-halves.“If it’s a 3-1 defeat then, of course, it’s still tough to take. But 5-1 sounds horrible.”

 

Moussa Dembele truly announced himself to the Celtic fans that day with a dazzling hat-trick.

 

Warburton revealed he would have jumped at the chance to make the Frenchman a Ger — if he’d had the money. Warbs said: “I was aware of Dembele’s availability, if I could have done anything about it I would have.

 

“Brendan Rodgers is a good friend, he’s done an outstanding job. But some of the nonsense I’ve read about fees and anything else…“Am I right in saying Tottenham bid £8million for Dembele and it was turned down?

 

“Do the fans honestly think that there’s £8m turned down, but that he’d cost only £400,000? Now, if the fee is right, what’s the basic wage?“I’m not talking about Dembele, but all these deals that go on.

 

“The fans seem to forget the fact you might get somebody for compensation, but if he’s on £35-40,000 a week it just smashes your pay structure.“We couldn’t afford that kind of outlay anyway.

 

“If we could have done then, absolutely, I would have moved for Dembele.“But we were never in the market at that level. Dembele is a tremendous talent who’s obviously benefited enormously from working with Rodgers and the guys at Celtic. Good luck to him.”

 

Warburton laughed when it was mentioned to him his victory over a humiliated Deila sparked the birth of the Invincibles.

 

That it was HIS fault Rodgers was subsequently appointed — and Celtic would go to another level domestically.

 

He added: “Someone actually said to me the other day: ‘Celtic responded because of the semi- final, Joey Barton and Kranjcar.’“But we’d made a statement — we won the league, we beat Celtic to get to a Cup Final, and I think suddenly alarm bells rang.

 

“Celtic, though, have picked up two successive Champions League pay-outs. The gap is only going to get wider.“But I hope very much whoever comes in as Rangers manager he gets the backing and they can look to compete.”

 

The Sun

[buster. 4,846]

Around April 2016 saw the souring of the relationship between (part of) the board and Warburton. It was when we started to go down the road that might as well have been signposted 'Omnishambles Ahead'.

 

Ironic that Warburton was criticised for the lack of a Plan B.

 

I'd really like to know who was the driving force behind the Barton transfer. Was it McParland/Warburton or other ?

[der Berliner 3,325]

Not too bad an interview there.

[Gonzo79 13,875]

The first six months under Warburton was unforgettable. It went downhill after that (exluding the semi final) and I don't have much time for him, in retrospect. His inability to adapt was his downfall - you don't set up the same way for St Mirren at home and Celtc away.

 

I see McKay scored for Forest yesterday.

[RANGERRAB 3,340]

Couldn't afford Dembele but paid out how much to sign Joe Garner just as the transfer window was about to close ?

 

C'mon Mark, who's kidding who ?

Edited December 10, 2017 by RANGERRAB

[Bill 13,717]

The one thing I'll always remember about McCoist's management was being beaten by Raith Rovers in the final of the Challenge Cup and the one abiding memory of Warburton's tenure will be losing the Scottish Cup final to Hibs. Both abject failures sum up perfectly the leadership of two inadequate managers.

[Whosthedado 1,540]

The one thing I'll always remember about McCoist's management was being beaten by Raith Rovers in the final of the Challenge Cup and the one abiding memory of Warburton's tenure will be losing the Scottish Cup final to Hibs. Both abject failures sum up perfectly the leadership of two inadequate managers.

 

Bang on mate and both should have walked after each of the failures

[RANGERRAB 3,340]

The one thing I'll always remember about McCoist's management was being beaten by Raith Rovers in the final of the Challenge Cup and the one abiding memory of Warburton's tenure will be losing the Scottish Cup final to Hibs. Both abject failures sum up perfectly the leadership of two inadequate managers.

 

I'll never forget losing at home to Annan Athletic at Ibrox & thinking McCoist would have to offer his resignation or be sacked.Of course neither happened & was one of many low points during his tenure. McCoist's time in charge was undoubtedly the worst I've ever endured in all the years I've supported Rangers.

 

Warburton's recruitment in summer 2016 finished him.

Edited December 10, 2017 by RANGERRAB

[the gunslinger 3,366]

Couldn't afford Dembele but paid out how much to sign Joe Garner just as the transfer window was about to close ?

 

C'mon Mark, who's kidding who ?

Did you read it. Its the 40k a week that we cant do.

 

 

 

 

[RANGERRAB 3,340]

Did you read it. Its the 40k a week that we cant do.

 

I'd be surprised if Dembele was on £40k p.w.