Rangers currently sit fifth in the Scottish Premiership table after just two wins from their opening six games.
Former Rangers boss Alex McLeish
During an interview with the Daily Mail, former Rangers manager Alex McLeish explained how he made a telephone call to current Gers boss Mark Warburton following the club’s 5-1 hammering by Celtic, to offer his experience and advice.
Warburton has received high acclaim for his work at Ibrox since his arrival in the summer of 2015, but after his side have struggled at the start of their 2016/17 Scottish Premiership campaign, pressure is beginning to mount on the former Brentford boss.
McLeish explained to the Daily Mail how the high levels of expectation at Rangers make the job so challenging, and shared the advice that he offered Warburton after Rangers’ heavy Old Firm defeat:
Rangers manager Mark Warburton
“I’ve walked in those shoes. I’ve had success then a bit of failure — and it hits you like a sledgehammer. And that’s what happened to Mark a couple of weeks ago. It’s not just the result. He’s seen the Press. And he’s been battered.”
“I phoned him and said: Welcome to the Old Firm. You think you should get understanding, but you have to realise that’s the way it is.”
The next few weeks will be vital for the Glasgow giants if they are to get their season back on track.
Tricky trips to Aberdeen and Inverness Caledonian Thistle are sandwiched by a home game against Patrick Thistle, and a return of nine points from those games would be the ideal way to bounce back from recent disappointments.
Rangers manager Mark Warburton and Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers
McLeish also discussed how he does not see Rangers challenging Celtic for the league title at the moment:
“Right now, I’d not be expecting Rangers to be challenging Celtic for the title. They will be fighting it out with three other teams for second place.”
Would Rangers fans be happy with second place in the league? If the team above them is Celtic, the answer would most likely be no.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers with Rangers manager Mark Warburton before the game
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