Mark Warburton: Spurs test will prepare Rangers for Scottish Cup final challenge

[ian1964 10,613]

MARK WARBURTON is confident Rangers will be in prime shape for their shot at Scottish Cup glory after their friendly clash with Tottenham tomorrow.

 

The Light Blues travelled south of the border on Tuesday afternoon and will face a Spurs select side at their Enfield training base before returning to Murray Park.

 

Boss Warburton gave his players a few days off in the aftermath of their final Championship clash of the campaign against St Mirren but sights are now firmly fixed on their Hampden return.

 

Rangers have formed a strong working relationship with Mauricio Pochettino’s side in recent months and defender Dominic Ball has impressed during a loan spell at Ibrox.

 

Spurs narrowly missed out on landing the Premier League title this term and Warburton is pleased to have lined-up a useful run-out for his side.

 

He said: “It’s important for us in terms of it being the final game before the cup final, so that is the obvious benefit of that.

 

“We’re very thankful to Spurs for their hospitality, they are a tremendous club and we can learn a lot from Tottenham.

 

“I know I’m talking as a Spurs fan here but forget the bias, their academy is first class with a number of players coming through.

 

“You look at [Harry] Kane, [Tom] Carroll, [Ryan] Mason and the [Tom] Huddlestones and the [Jake] Livermores etc. [Nabil] Bentaleb is now coming through and [Alex] Pritchard.

 

“It’s a fantastic academy. We have Dom Ball here who’s been a credit to Spurs and to himself of course.

 

“Dom has come up and the players are hungry, so we are delighted to have a good relationship with Spurs and we’ll go down there and look forward to what will be a very challenging game.

 

“We’ll find out [what strength the Tottenham side will be], but whatever it will be it will be a technically gifted, very athletic team.

 

“It’s always a stern challenge and it’s a magnificent training base – one of the very best in Europe, there’s no doubt about that.

 

“So we know it will be tough test and it’s what we need, we need that sharpener and that will hold us in good stead for the 21st.”

 

The Enfield friendly is the latest tie-up between Warburton and Spurs in a relationship that stretches back several years to the Englishman’s time as the head of the NextGen series.

 

And he reckons it is good to talk as he looks to reap the rewards of forging significant contacts at White Hart Lane.

 

Warburton told rangers.co.uk: “I was very fortunate through the NextGen tournament to deal closely with people like John McDermott (Spurs’ Head of Coaching & Player Development), Dean Rastrick (Academy Manager) and Ugo Ehiogu (Under-21 Head Coach).

 

“It was really good to chat to them and I had good conversations on many occasions.

 

“I saw their development process for young players, I saw how they give them an opportunity, how they challenge them, so I was delighted to work closely with Tottenham at that tournament and then take it forward from there.

 

“We’ve taken players in the past, we had young Alex Pritchard at Brentford last year, Dom Ball this year, so again this shows that we can create that environment that is conducive to the players’ development and hopefully strengthen the relationship with Tottenham.”

 

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/14482761.Mark_Warburton__Spurs_test_will_prepare_Rangers_for_Scottish_Cup_final_challenge/

[Frankie 8,367]

Glad we have a game to discuss - even if it's only a friendly!

[der Berliner 3,547]

One could use the article posted on the Rangers HP instead

 

Spurs Lead The Way

 

Tuesday, 10 May 2016, 13:00 by Neil Smith

 

MARK WARBURTON believes this week’s game against Tottenham Hotspur will be a crucial part of Rangers’ preparations for the Scottish Cup Final on May 21.

 

The manager, his staff and squad will fly to Stansted Airport this afternoon, with tomorrow’s behind closed doors friendly against Spurs due to kick off at 11am on one of the 15 grass pitches at the London club’s state-of-the art training centre in Enfield.

 

It is at this world-class facility that Tottenham’s coaches develop so many of their academy players into Premier League stars and Warburton insists Rangers can learn a lot from the club he has always supported.

 

Whether the Light Blues face a first-team side, an under-20 team or a mix of the two, the Ibrox boss expects a competitive 90 minutes tomorrow and a great test for his players.

 

Speaking to RangersTV, he said: “It’s important for us in terms of it being the final game before the Cup final, so that is the obvious benefit of that.

 

“We’re very thankful to Spurs for their hospitality, they are a tremendous club and we can learn a lot from Tottenham.

 

“I know I’m talking as a Spurs fan here but forget the bias, their academy is first class with a number of players coming through.

 

“You look at [Harry] Kane, [Tom] Carroll, [Ryan] Mason and the [Tom] Huddlestones and the [Jake] Livermores etc. [Nabil] Bentaleb is now coming through and [Alex] Pritchard.

 

“It’s a fantastic academy. We have Dom Ball here who’s been a credit to Spurs and to himself of course.

 

“Dom has come up and the players are hungry, so we are delighted to have a good relationship with Spurs and we’ll go down there and look forward to what will be a very challenging game.”

 

When asked what strength of Tottenham side he expects his side to face, Warburton replied: “We’ll find out, but whatever it will be it will be a technically gifted, very athletic team.

 

“It’s always a stern challenge and it’s a magnificent training base – one of the very best in Europe, there’s no doubt about that.

 

“So we know it will be tough test and it’s what we need, we need that sharpener and that will hold us in good stead for the 21st.”

 

Warburton has met several of the youth coaches at Spurs in the past and he believes the club has got it right, both at first-team level and when it comes to player development.

 

He added: “I was very fortunate through the NextGen tournament to deal closely with people like John McDermott [spurs’ Head of Coaching & Player Development], Dean Rastrick [Academy Manager] and Ugo Ehiogu [under-21 Head Coach].

 

“It was really good to chat to them and I had good conversations on many occasions.

 

“I saw their development process for young players, I saw how they give them an opportunity, how they challenge them, so I was delighted to work closely with Tottenham at that tournament and then take it forward from there.

 

“We’ve taken players in the past, we had young Alex Pritchard at Brentford last year, Dom Ball this year, so again this shows that we can create that environment that is conducive to the players’ development and hopefully strengthen the relationship with Tottenham.”

 

http://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/spurs-lead-way/

[colinstein 294]

Glad we have a game to discuss - even if it's only a friendly!

 

aye..........withdrawal symptoms already. I'll be looking for a Hibs Falkirk stream tonight. Mind you Walsall and Barnsley have got a play off tonight as well

[calscot 0]

Shame it's closed doors; there hasn't been a friendly near me for years. There was the Derby one, but weirdly you had to travel from Glasgow so I was scunnered there too...

[blueflag 384]

I'm hoping we get a friendly down south this year too. Hillsbrough and Derby were both good days

 

 

[der Berliner 3,547]

Tottenham 3-4 Rangers. Full time.

 

... unconfirmed so far.

[Rousseau 10,019]

Tottenham 3-4 Rangers. Full time.

 

... unconfirmed so far.

 

If true, it sounds like both teams were looking to attack, rather than just the one we're used to!

[26th of foot 5,991]

BBC Scotland's Chief Football Reporter, Chris McLaughlin attended today's friendly between Spurs and Rangers :

 

"Hail hail listeners. The animals undeservingly defeated Spurs with the aid of good fortune and the referee. As usual, I have checked with the Match Commander and can confirm sixteen H-u-ns were arrested for sectarian chanting. Peter has promised his wife will knit me a new bhoy friend".

[chilledbear 16]

Waghorn, Shiels, Tav and Clark getting named as the scorers.