Mark Warburton’s time at Scottish Premiership side Rangers has "ended in confusion after the club released a statement on Friday claiming to have accepted the manager’s resignation -- despite Warburton denying he had stepped down from his role," according to Lawrence Ostlere of the London GUARDIAN. In a long statement on Rangers' website, the club claimed that Warburton "approached them seeking an agreement that any right to compensation would be waived should he and his management team -- David Weir and Frank McParland -- choose to switch clubs." Rangers then "ended Warburton's time at the club by announcing his departure." The statement said, "Rangers has accepted the resignations of manager Mark Warburton, assistant manager David Weir and the club’s head of recruitment Frank McParland." Warburton’s relationship with Rangers Chair Dave King became "increasingly strained in recent weeks." The statement added that "it was important for the club’s board that their manager wanted to be at the club and was dedicated to taking the team back to the Scottish title." Rangers U20 Manager Graeme Murty "will take interim charge of the team for the cup tie with Greenock Morton on Sunday" (GUARDIAN, 2/10). In Glasgow, Scott McDermott reported King on Saturday "launched a scathing attack" on Warburton. The Ibrox chair "accused the Englishman of leaking private boardroom information and squandering his transfer kitty on duds." King said that "all along Warburton was using Gers to work his ticket to the English Premier League." The Ibrox owner said that the club was "forced to accept the manager’s resignation after an agent tried to broker a deal that would see the management team find a new club, believed to be Nottingham Forest." Warburton is "furious with King's claims" and, with Weir and McParland, "is taking legal advice." But he refused to hit back at King -- and was "adamant" he has not quit. Warburton said, "It’s essential I retain a dignified silence. I can’t become embroiled in a war of words" (DAILY RECORD, 2/12).
'RANGERS MAN': Also in Glasgow, Craig Swan reported former Rangers Manager Alex McLeish has "opened the door on his return" to the club by insisting it would "be hard" to turn it down. The 58-year-old "is a strong contender" to fill the position vacated by Warburton. When asked if he would take the job, McLeish said, "You never know. I'm a Rangers man, so you obviously have to keep that in consideration (DAILY RECORD, 2/12). In London, Roddy Forsyth reported the Ibrox board has "other managerial candidates to consider for the long-term," including Derek McInnes of Aberdeen, a former Rangers player, along with St. Johnstone’s Tommy Wright and Northern Ireland Manager Michael O’Neill. Possible candidates for a proposed post of director of football include Paul Mitchell, who is "working his notice" as head of recruitment at Tottenham, Stuart Webber, head of football operations at Huddersfield Town and John Park, the former chief scout at Celtic (TELEGRAPH, 2/11).
