Relations with Celtic boss Rodgers have cooled, admits Rangers manager Warburton
The two men worked together at Watford and remained friends afterwards, while Warburton also had contacts at Celtic through his work for a European youth tournament before moving to Glasgow.
Rangers manager Mark Warburton admits he has had little time to maintain his friendship with Celtic counterpart Brendan Rodgers.
The two men worked together at Watford and remained friends afterwards, while Warburton also had contacts at Celtic through his work for a European youth tournament before moving to Glasgow.
Those ties have loosened, but the Rangers boss insists that is mainly down to a lack of time rather than rivalry.
Speaking ahead of his side's Betfred Cup semi-final clash with Celtic at Hampden, Warburton told his club's official website: "Brendan and I don't speak unfortunately and I think that is just the nature of it.
"I knew a few of the guys at Celtic through the Next Gen tournament, but it's just the nature of the beast because everyone is busy in football.
"Everyone works seven days a week in football and you don't get time to really socialise.
"In truth people should make more effort, me included, to make contact but it's just the way it is.''
The pair were reunited last month when Rangers lost 5-1 at Celtic Park in the Premiership. And, despite the fraught nature of the derby and the painful scoreline for Warburton on that occasion, he managed to be convivial.
"I will have a drink with him after the game - win, lose or draw we'll always have a drink,'' Warburton said.
"Hampden is a bit different, but at Ibrox we will and we did at Parkhead.
"You go in and show your face and you show common courtesy."