Rangers’ Martyn Waghorn says it is still good to talk despite Joey Barton fall-out
Tuesday 20 September 2016 09:18, UK
Martyn Waghorn says it is still good for Rangers players to talk and express themselves, despite the fall-out from Joey Barton's suspension.
The midfielder has been suspended for three weeks following last week's row with team-mate Andy Halliday and Mark Warburton after the Ibrox manager asked for his players' opinions in the wake of their 5-1 defeat to Celtic.
Former England international Barton admitted he overstepped the mark with the way he expressed himself during that debrief but Waghorn still thinks he and his team-mates are right to talk things through in post-match discussions.
Speaking ahead of Tuesday's Betfred Cup quarter-final with Queen of the South, the striker said: "The way the gaffer and Davie Weir work is that they want feedback, they're still learning and we're still learning as a group.
"We have a lot of experience in and around the team so it is how we improve as a group and move forward. Last season it was important that we got our opinions across and we used it as much as we could to benefit us as a team.
"You play, you train, you play, and you review it and you break down what you did well in the game and what you didn't do so well.
"It is all about learning from your mistakes and the majority of the time it's not about criticising - it's about how you can improve, sharpen your play and defend set-pieces.
"It is general bits and bobs of a game that you can always find one per cent to benefit you for the next game."
Rangers are looking to reach the semi-finals of the League Cup on Tuesday evening but manager Warburton and Waghorn know they face a tough test against Scottish Championship leaders Queen of the South.
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"It is a home game at Ibrox, a quarter-final draw with the chance of a semi-final at stake so it is absolutely important," Warburton said.
"It is a game we want to win, we recognise we face a Queen of the South team high on confidence, top of the league, great start to the season and they will relish the Ibrox stadium. So we have got all those facts, we know what we are facing but we are very much looking forward to the game."
Waghorn added: "We've lost one game out of five and we've got some big games coming up but it is more important that you look to the future than dwell on the past for me. "
