Rangers

Mark Warburton encourages "respectful" debate at Rangers

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter
Published: 19 September 2016 3:51 PM

Rangers boss Mark Warburton says that he has no issues with opinions being shared at Ibrox, as long as it is done in a "respectful" manner.

Rangers boss Mark Warburton has suggested that midfielder Joey Barton was disrespectful in how he voiced his opinion in the aftermath of the club's 5-1 defeat to Celtic.

The Glasgow giants have suspended Barton for three weeks after he was involved in an altercation with teammate Andy Halliday, and the stance taken by the Scottish Premiership side has thrown his future at the club up in the air.

Despite the incident, Warburton has said that he encourages his players to air their views, as long as it is done in the right manner.

The 54-year-old told reporters: "The environment we create for the players and the staff is about giving respectful opinion. I always want opinion. I'll never have a problem with a player knocking on my door to talk about a session. Do it in the right manner or else they'll get a flea in their ear.

"It's about being respectful with the way we deal with each other. That's the way society is these days, it's changing. So I have no problem with players expressing opinions at all. It's how you deliver the message which will always be key to myself and my staff."

Barton has made eight appearances for the club since signing on a free transfer during the summer.