After Stuart McCall failed to take Rangers into the Ladbrokes Premiership via the play-off, Warburton was appointed, winning the Championship at the first time of asking, and is this week preparing for the first Old Firm league game in four years at Celtic Park on Sunday.
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Rodgers and the Celtic players have the added distraction of their upcoming Champions League game in midweek but this match is even more important with three points for either side likely to give them the impetus for the rest of the campaign. Players accept it, I accept it and we get ready for a great game.
“Whoever we play at home, our objective is to win”.
Rangers keeper Foderingham played in the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final against the champions last season but this will be his first time between the sticks at Celtic Park.
“I am sure it will be a brilliant game, a tense game, they always are”. I think you have seen in each of the four games how we can play and hurt teams, but it’s not been a sustained performance over the 90 minutes and that’s something we have to put right for the weekend.
Warburton said: “If you read the bookies’ odds, there is no point us really turning up, which is fine”.
Rangers may have won the tie last season on penalties, but that was a shell of a Celtic side beleaguered and downtrodden which had seemingly had enough of Ronny Deila, John Collins and their methods.
Speaking after the police spoke to the players and coaches at Lennoxtown this week to remind them of their social responsibilities ahead of the game against Rangers, Rodgers believes that there has to be a measured approach to the game while also understanding the reactions it can provoke in the heat of the minute.
Should he miss out then Rodgers could throw Moussa Dembele in for his first start since the August 10 win over Motherwell.
Rangers, who beat Celtic on penalties to reach the Scottish Cup final past year, have only one player surviving from the last league clash between the sides, skipper Lee Wallace. I think it is still going to be two or three years. If you had offered people that at the start of the season, unbeaten four games going into an Old Firm game, then I think you would have taken it.
The completion of that journey means business has returned to normal and they meet on Saturday with Celtic and Rangers occupying the top two spots.
“No matter what you say to players, sometimes the whole intensity and occasion can make it hard for football”, added the Northern Irishman.
“We are aware of our responsibilities, but the players are well prepared, there is no doubt about that”.
We are looking forward to this game, everyone is talking about it.
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He said: “For us, it came at a good time”.
