Rangers have closed the gap slightly on their bitter Scottish Premiership rivals Celtic and Mark Warburton believes they can go one step further.
After losing at home to Kilmarnock following a dramatic defeat in the Old Firm derby, Rangers are now 10 points adrift of Celtic and their hopes of a shock title challenge have all but evaporated.
But that should not disguise the fact that Rangers seem closer to Celtic than at any point since their return to the top flight in 2016. There have been major improvements both on and off the pitch at Ibrox, with manager Graeme Murty and director of football Mark Allen putting together a competitive and strong squad far better than last season’s vintage.
Although former Rangers boss Mark Warburton believes that, to use the old adage, slow and steady could win the race.
“The longer that Celtic are exposed to Champions League football, the greater the financial divide becomes,” Warburton, who guided Rangers to promotion from the Championship in 2016 but departed less than a year later, told Sky Sports.
“So Rangers need the investment and they need to dampen expectation and recognise you’ve got to build the club back up. Because it is an outstanding club, it’s a football institution and it was a privilege to manage up there.
“But you’ve got to be patient with it. Be honest with the fans and give them clear communications as they aspire to get the club back to the top of Scottish football but it will take time and it will certainly take investment.”
Rangers may not have the money that Celtic can throw around right now but some impressive signings in the last two transfer windows, notably bargain deals for Alfredo Morelos, Jason Cummings and Jamie Murphy, mean that second place is a realistic aim for a Rangers side that finished a distant third behind Aberdeen last season.
Onwards and upwards at Ibrox.
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