Mark Warburton On Brentford, Rangers And The Reality Of Football Management | OneFootball

You previously had a successful career in financial services before making the leap into the football industry. What drove that decision, and how did you navigate such a significant career transition? Were there any key challenges or lessons that shaped your journey?

“It came about really through always having a love of the game. I’ve been very fortunate to work around the world—in Carolina, Chicago, Asia, Singapore, Tokyo, etc. Wherever I’d gone, I’d always coached.

“So, living in Charlotte, for example, I coached a girls’ under-nine team, a high school boys’ team, the bank team, and college teams. Unwittingly, I was just coaching and enjoying it, but I never knew about coaching qualifications. It wasn’t until I came back to the UK that I realised coaching badges even existed—as ignorant as that sounds.

“In 2001, I started doing my badges quite quickly, progressing through them. At the same time, my son—who was around eight or nine years old—was asked to go to Arsenal and work within the academy system. I had to take him to Watford, and during that process, I was asked about my background. They needed help, as money was tight, so I found myself securing my coaching qualifications just as I was being asked to assist in an academy environment. That really lit the blue touch-paper for me to take coaching more seriously.

“At the time, I had a really good, busy, and responsible job. But I reached a point where I felt I wanted to take football more seriously. The transition came about in a single moment. One day, a massive trade came through—huge, I won’t bore you with the details, but it was a really big dollar-to-yen trade, which was my currency. Meanwhile, I was sitting there, drawing a diagram of a passing drill for an under-thirteens team.

“I literally had a five-second delay where I thought, ‘If I don’t do this now, I’m never going to do it.’

“As mad as it sounds, that was the moment. I knew I had to move on, but I also knew I needed more knowledge. You can’t go into, or hope to go into, a full-time football career—something I always assumed would be in academy football—without having real depth of knowledge.

“So, I spent the next year traveling around Europe, visiting as many clubs as possible. It was an incredibly expensive year, but it allowed me to build up my knowledge base.”

You started in the academy system with clubs like Watford before moving into first-team management with Brentford and others. How did you develop the skills to thrive in an academy setup, and what were the key challenges in transitioning from academy football to managing senior professionals?

“The transition year gave me access to clubs like Sporting Lisbon, Willem II, Ajax, and Barcelona—high-quality clubs that really broadened my education. Visiting Willem II, for example, was particularly relevant to Watford, as they had similar-sized stadiums, academy budgets, and overall structures.

“Amazingly, when coaches at a Championship club want to visit Bayern Munich, there’s often no real relevance to their own setup. So for me, learning from clubs that operated within similar constraints was incredibly valuable. When I came back, I had a much deeper understanding of academy systems, player development, and elite-level learning.

“At Watford, I was fortunate to have a very receptive manager in Aidy Boothroyd, who appreciated my background in the City and what that could bring to the club. I also had access to top-class people like Dick Bate—who sadly passed away—Keith Mincher, Malky Mackay, and Sean Dyche, who was my youth team coach. It was a great learning environment, and I always assumed I would stay in academy football.

“But then, after leaving Watford, I got a phone call from the now Brentford owner asking if I’d come in and coach the first team. He’d sent Sandy Stewart, and he wanted me to join in January. That was my first real exposure to working full-time with senior professionals.

“By that stage I had the confidence to go in, deliver enjoyable sessions, and make an impact. I always knew I needed something to catch the players’ attention. I didn’t have the playing career they did, but I had my experience in the City, and they were intrigued by that world. That became my hook—something to engage them while ensuring the sessions were of high quality.

“As long as the environment was right and the players enjoyed the work, things went well. And Brentford, at that time, was a fantastic club to be part of. It was a period of stability and ambition, and even though they’re now in the Premier League, that era remains a significant chapter in the club’s history.”

You then moved from English to Scottish football, taking charge of Rangers during one of the most significant transitional periods in the club’s history. Unlike past managers such as Walter Smith and Graeme Souness, who were expected to compete for titles immediately, your role required a different approach. How did you tackle the unique challenges of leading Rangers at that pivotal moment?

“Firstly, with Brentford, we were 18th in League One, and—without arrogance but with great pride—we earned promotion and then immediately reached the playoffs. We had some fantastic seasons, and the fans were magnificent throughout.

“When that chapter ended, I was fortunate to have choices, but Rangers was a truly special opportunity—a magnificent club and an absolute privilege to even be considered.

“As you mentioned, though, when I arrived, Rangers were in the Championship. Despite that, the fan base still had the club’s traditional European, big-club mentality, which of course, is entirely justified. But at the time, we had just nine players in the squad and were competing outside the top flight.

“So, as you said, it was a completely different challenge from what managers like Walter Smith and Graeme Souness had experienced. However, the expectations remained sky-high.

“We knew we had to hit the ground running. That meant bringing in players quickly—players who could adapt to the demands, handle the pressure, and play a style of football the fans would embrace, while ensuring success. Promotion wasn’t just a goal—it was non-negotiable. There were no other targets or KPIs; we simply had to go up.

“We brought in players like James Tavernier, Martyn Waghorn, Jason Holt, Danny Wilson, and Andy Halliday—guys who were hungry, ready to step in immediately, and capable of delivering on all fronts.

“Thankfully, it worked out well. We achieved promotion and also reached major national cup finals, which was a hugely important step in the club’s journey back to where it belongs.”

After securing promotion, did you feel the club’s outlook shifted from a transitional phase to an immediate expectation of success in the Premiership?

“Yeah, very much so. And it frustrates me when people say, ‘Oh, you don’t understand the demands of being Rangers manager or a Rangers supporter. You don’t get the club—it’s a winning club, and nothing but first is acceptable.’

“I completely understand that, but if you’re in a transitional phase, you have to recognise it. The reality was that our budget was 20% of Celtic’s—that was the harsh truth. Yes, the Cup semi-final was a fantastic result, a great performance by the players, and incredible for the fans. But nine times out of ten, we would have lost those games simply because of the gulf in resources. They had international players throughout their squad, while we were still aspiring to reach that level.

“The plan was always about progress—steadily improving the squad and building for the future. The board had actually set a target of European football by year three. So when we finished second in year two—albeit 20 points behind Celtic—we were ahead of schedule.

“But as soon as we got to that point, the original target went out the window. Everything became about one thing: the gap to Celtic.

“People would say, ‘You don’t get the Old Firm rivalry.’ Of course, I did. Having David Weir there, my own football knowledge, my understanding of the history—I knew exactly what it meant. But from a bigger-picture perspective, it had to be about small steps: building the squad, adding the right players, and cementing our place in the top two so that by year three, we could truly push forward.

“Instead, the targets became blurred, and the only focus was how close we were to Celtic. That was what made it so frustrating. When I was sacked, I was sitting there thinking, ‘My KPI for next year was European football, and I’m being dismissed while sitting in second place.’ It was a really disappointing moment.”

You’ve experienced the highs of management, from promotions with Brentford and Rangers to earning praise for your style of play at QPR. When things are going well, how do you stay grounded and maintain perspective?

“Yeah, because very simply, it’s like yin and yang—you have the good days, and you have the not-so-good days. The same people who are giving you plaudits and patting you on the back will be the same ones calling for your head in a few months if things don’t go well.

“You’ve got to remain level-headed—never too high, never too low. The key is to keep setting aggressive targets for your team, for individuals within your squad, and for your staff, and just keep pushing forward.

“Of course, you enjoy the good times—the promotions, the cup finals, and everything else that comes with success. But you have to keep building. The moment you take your foot off the gas and start thinking you’ve done enough, that’s when you’re most vulnerable.

“For me, it’s about constantly striving for improvement. If you can keep pushing forward at every opportunity, then I think you can stay in a really good place.”

When facing intense pressure and the prospect of losing your job, do you sense it coming? Some former professionals have said they can ‘smell’ it in the air, sensing when things are about to turn. From your experience, is that something you’ve felt, or does it vary depending on the circumstances?

“No, I think you can absolutely smell it—you’re dead right. At some point, communication starts to break down. It might start with a weekly or twice-weekly phone call, and then it becomes once, and eventually, it turns into a short, transactional conversation instead of the long, detailed discussions you used to have.

“Suddenly, the phone call from the CEO or the manager doesn’t happen, and you start noticing these subtle changes. Maybe a comment in the media from an unnamed source, or just little things that you pick up on. You get to recognise the signs.

“That’s why Brentford was so good. To be fair to Matthew Benham, he would phone me every day and talk through everything. We had a conversation every night about the club, and he was very, very consistent throughout. That’s a big reason why the club is in such a good place now—because the owner has been consistent all the way through.

“But you’re right, the people you speak to are spot on—you do recognise the signs. You try to rebuild bridges, but sometimes, once people have formed their opinions, it becomes very, very difficult.”

Finally, Mark, many view football management, particularly at top levels, as a high-paying job with little sympathy for a manager’s departure. However, what is the reality of suddenly finding yourself out of work, even if financially secure? How do you deal with that mentally?

“Yeah, very much. That’s a great question. In something like professional football, or any highly competitive environment, you’re a very competitive individual yourself—you want to do well.

“As I said earlier, it’s incredibly frustrating when people say you don’t get it or don’t understand the winning culture. Of course, you do. Do you not think every single manager, coach, and player wants to win?

“But what’s most frustrating is when you’re asked to join a team that’s bottom of the league or in the bottom three or four, with a bigger budget, and you’re underperforming for a period of time. Then, absolutely, you expect and in a way deserve the sack because that’s the nature of the game we’re in.

“What’s really tough, though, is when you set KPIs, hit them, and still lose your job. There’ll be many managers, coaches, and others who will say to you, ‘I did everything that was asked of me,’ and still, the club decides to make a change. That’s when it’s so hard to take.

“The football world is one where you’re totally immersed 24/7 in the job. That’s the hardest part. If you’re in a tough position and having a rough season, then you start to expect it and almost mentally prepare for it. But when it happens suddenly, unexpectedly, it’s really difficult to handle.

“I’m not saying it’s about being mentally weak or strong, but it can have a very damaging effect on an individual. Thankfully, I’m okay—I’ve been in high-pressure industries ever since I left school, so I’m somewhat battle-hardened to that side of things. But it can be very, very difficult.

“Another thing is the impact on your family. You can say, ‘Oh, [he’s] fine,’ but it’s the effect on your family—be it a wife, partner, son, daughter, or whoever it may be. They get impacted by it.

“You can try to ignore all the social media stuff, but they don’t. There are so many different consequences and implications that people are blissfully unaware of, and it can be very damaging.”