Mark Warburton: I'll be out of a job if Ally McCoist is right

Warburton led Rangers to a Scottish Cup win over Celtic last season

Manager Mark Warburton says he would be out of a job if he fails to get Rangers back to the top of Scottish football within the next three years.

Former boss Ally McCoist suggested it could take "two or three years" to become a dominant force again.

But Warburton said: "It doesn't work that way.

"The expectation of the club, let's be realistic, if I turn round and say I've got three years to get it right? I don't think so."

Warburton, who delivered the Championship title and Challenge Cup in his first season at Ibrox, believes success must come quickly, such are the demands placed on a Rangers manager.

"We have to be quicker than that," he added when asked about McCoist's thoughts on the team.

"If those timescales are accurate, and I hope they're not, then I won't be here. David [Weir, assistant manager] and I know that."

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Warburton takes his team to Celtic Park on Saturday for the first time since their promotion from the second tier.

Celtic, chasing a sixth consecutive top flight title, lead the Premiership by one point from their Glasgow rivals, having played a game less, with McCoist making the home side "strong favourites".

"Ally is a very experienced man, huge Rangers connections, quite rightly legendary status at the club," said the former Brentford boss.

"So Ally is entitled to his opinion and I've seen Walter [Smith, former manager] speaking and various other people. The beauty of the game of football is everyone has got a different opinion.

"It's great Ally voices his own personal opinion. Mine might differ slightly but that's the game we love."

'Need to be brave'

The visitors may be underdogs but Warburton enjoys a winning record against Celtic after a penalty shoot-out triumph in last season's Scottish Cup semi-final.

"If you read the bookies' odds, there is no point us really turning up, which is fine," he said.

"It's exactly the same scenario (as semi-final). We had analysis with the players just now and it's been pointed out by many of them: same scenario, we are going to get beaten by three or four. I read four minimum, one very wise pundit said.

"They are paid to give opinions, that's what the game is all about, so you respect that. But it's about us, it's about Rangers, it's about doing what we do.

"If we go there and we're brave and we get on the football and we move it quickly and do what we do well, we will be fine. If we don't, if we're sloppy, then we will have a tough afternoon.

"It's about us preparing well and being consistent in our preparation, training at the right intensity and quality, which we have been. It's a tough place to go but we are absolutely relishing this encounter."