After a year of indulgence over the Magic Hat the Daily Record has turned on Mark Warburton.
Last season’s ritual hammering’s of Dumbarton and Raith Rovers are starting to seem like a distant memory for Sevco fans with their team stuck in the bottom half of the table just four points ahead of 12th placed Partick Thistle.
Newspaper criticism won’t normally upset a manager but when it is from the declared favourite title of blazer chaser Paul Murray the signs are ominous.
When the phrase ‘former city trader’ is used in a derogatory form rather than as a badge of honour it could be time for Warbo to cash in his chips and head back to the comfort of 16 hour shifts in the square mile.
Writing an opinion piece in today’s Record Keith Jackson suggests: “Warburton is beginning to look like a man who believes the world is conspiring against him but blaming it all on a mistake from the man in the middle – no matter how glaring – is a pointless, futile exercise.
“There are many more pressing and obvious questions which need to be addressed and chief among them is this: Could the Englishman be nearing the end of his own journey at Ibrox?
“He won’t like it being asked – he may believe the very notion is also grossly unfair – but Warburton would be wrong to dismiss it out of hand because if he’s not feeling the pressure pushing down on his shoulders then he is dangerously out of touch with the reality of life in the Rangers hotseat.
“Having taken just nine top flight points from a possible 21, one thing is already crystal clear. Warburton’s Rangers will not be mounting a credible challenge for Celtic’s title this season.”
Dealing with the reality of life without a limitless Bank of Scotland overdraft or tax dodging scams is going to be an uncomfortable place for Sevco fans in the coming weeks, Jackson’s thoughts suggest that Warbo, who used to work as a city trader, is about to become the fall guy for the realities of 2016.
