Warburton Hits Back At Stubbs

Photo by Jeff Holmes

Rangers manager Mark Warburton told Alan Stubbs to shut up and mind his own business after his Hibernian counterpart claimed he had an easy job rebuilding the Ibrox side.

Rangers took their goal tally to 19 in five wins under Warburton with a 2-0 triumph at Ayr in the second round of the Petrofac Training Cup, but Stubbs earlier claimed the Gers boss had the benefit of spending a lot of money.

Stubbs told Hibs TV: "It's very easy when you've got money to spend to bring in much better players than what was there at the start."

Warburton said in reply: "Clearly it must be easy managing Real Madrid and Man United then, I guess.

"I would suggest that any manager without the facts keeps his mouth shut and concentrates on his club and not worry about our club. That's the key point.

"Right now we are very respectful to every other club and manager, and unless you know any facts that I don't know, concentrate on your own team.

"I know what we have spent and that's a complete fallacy."

When asked if the comments were mind games ahead of Hibs' Championship clash at Ibrox on Sunday, Warburton said: "I'm not the brightest man in the world but it will take a lot more than that to wind me up."

Rangers made five changes at Somerset Park but maintained their recent intensity in a first half that yielded goals for Nick Clark and Barrie McKay.

Warburton said: "We came to a difficult venue and got a result and there were lots of positives but some negatives too: we were sloppy second half. We weren't good enough in possession and didn't commit to the ball and get as tight as we have been doing.

"But the beauty of this team is that they are keen to learn and we will learn."

Ayr boss Ian McCall was delighted with his team's second-hand improvement.

He said: "I thought we were terrific second half and moved it really well. Rangers could have had another two in the second half but I thought we were good for two or three as well."