Rangers boss Mark Warburton ‘flattered’ by QPR link

Rangers manager Mark Warburton says he is at Ibrox for the long haul. Picture: Danny Lawson/PA Wire.

The former Brentford manager, who took over the Scottish Championship leaders in the summer, has been mentioned in connection with the vacant manager’s post at Loftus Road following the departure of Chris Ramsay.

Warburton was asked his thoughts on the link after the 4-0 home win over bottom side Alloa kept the Gers five points clear of Hibernian at the top of the table.

The home side cruised to victory through a double from striker Martyn Waghorn and goals from right-back James Tavernier and substitute Nicky Clark, as Alloa’s Eddie Ferns was shown a straight red in the 78th minute for a challenge on Rangers substitute Jordan Thompson.

Warburton said of the QPR speculation: “I never knew that. It is flattering but that is football, isn’t it?

“My job is here at Rangers to put my head down with David [Weir, his assistant] and the staff and take the cub forward as quickly as possible.

“You can’t ask players to be committed to a project and then not show commitment yourself.

“We know what we have to do. It is a fantastic club. Our target are very clear.

“We have had a good start and our focus is 100 per cent taking Rangers forward.”

Warburton was pleased with the way his players responded to their first league defeat of the season against Hibernian last week at Easter Road.

After the Govan club recorded a 12th win in 13 league games, the Englishman said: “It was a pleasing afternoon’s work. We showed good attitude from the first whistle worked tirelessly and showed quality.

“We just couldn’t break down the defence as we hoped on occasions but we will learn from that.

“There is no lack of focus from players. We lost one game, we are five points clear, we are in good shape right now.”

Waghorn took his tally for the season to 17 but rued a first-half sitter, when he somehow totally missed a Tavernier cross in front of an open goal, which cost him his hat-trick.

He said: “It was important that we got back on a winning run but I am very disappointed [that I didn’t get a hat-trick].

“I had two or three chances but the one in the first half was a lack of concentration, very poor from me.

“It was probably too easy. I probably started thinking it was a goal but it was a lack of concentration and lack of quality.”

Wasps boss Danny Lennon, though, awarded Waghorn some unusual praise.

He said: “I thought his movement today was absolutely terrific.

“Even as well as we tried to flood those gaps - NASA couldn’t keep track his movement. It was fantastic.

“But I took a lot of positives in terms of the way we competed but when you come to Ibrox, a big club like this, and Rangers have a point to prove after losing last week, it makes it doubly hard.”