Mark Warburton is under no pressure to challenge Celtic, says former Rangers boss Walter Smith

WALTER SMITH believes Rangers boss Mark Warburton is under no pressure to challenge Celtic at the top of the Premiership.

But he maintains that will change next season if the Ibrox Board can find the cash to recruit better players.

The former Rangers manager is well aware of impatience among some of the club’s supporters.

They have been stung by losing back-to-back Old Firm matches.

Smith said: “I think even the most-fervent Rangers fan would look realistically and say: ‘If we finish second in the league and towards the end of the season start to look as though we’re getting closer to Celtic, that would be acceptable’.

“There’s a new Board that has to handle all the problems left by mismanagement of the club, while trying to find investment for the team.

“It’s a difficult period for the club – on and off the pitch.

“Common sense would tell you it’ll take a little bit of time – they’ve got a year! Next season, whatever happens, there will need to be a bigger challenge to Celtic.

“That means trying to find another level of investment and that’s where the club have a problem.

“There’s no use sitting at Rangers saying it can’t be done. They know they’ve got to do it.

“Mark Warburton will know that.”

Smith believes the current Rangers squad can see off Aberdeen and Hearts to finish as league runners-up.

He went on: “I’d hope they’d do well enough to finish second and I think they will.

“But that’s the proving ground this season. They have to show through their performances they’re getting closer to Celtic and that, with a bit more investment, they can get up to putting in a challenge.

“I think Rangers are still the only team that can put in a legitimate challenge to Celtic. But it will take a settling-in period.

“Yes, the gap between them and Celtic is apparent to everybody.

“So you’d look to see if they can close that a little bit in the January transfer window.”

Mark Warburton is on record as thanking Smith for being there to offer advice if he needs it.

However, the 68-year-old is anxious to point out that he wouldn’t dream of meddling in team affairs.

He said: “It was nice of Mark to say that.

“I’ve been out with him a couple of times but I’d never claim what I said to him could be termed as advice.

“I speak to him about football. He’s asked me a couple of things about Rangers and how I found it.

“He’ll have his own ideas about managing Rangers and there are aspects that John Greig and I, if he asks, can answer.

“But it doesn’t happen on a regular basis.

“You can’t tell anybody about how to handle things at Rangers. It’s something they have to experience.

“It goes back to the Bill Struth line about being able to play against Rangers, but can you play for them?

“These are things he’ll need to pick up. But I don’t think there’s any doubt he knows the enormity of the task he’s taken on.”

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