Rangers boss Mark Warburton is a breath of fresh air, says former star Steven Naismith
- Steven Naismith spoke highly of new Rangers boss Mark Warburton
- The former Brentford manager has had an impressive start at Ibrox
- Rangers have scored 19 goals and won five straight games so far
Steven Naismith believes new Rangers boss Mark Warburton is laying the foundations for future success at Ibrox.
The Everton frontman has been impressed by the start former Brentford boss Warburton has made at his old club.
The Englishman and his assistant Davie Weir - Naismith's former Gers skipper - have made a rampant opening to their Light Blues reign, with their side blasting 19 goals on their way to five straight victories.
New Rangers boss Mark Warburton has impressed since joining the club in the summer
But it is not just the rebuilding job in the first-team dressing room that has encouraged Naismith.
Warburton is now paying close attention to the club's youth structures and has also vowed to finally install a scouting network three years after the club axed its team of spies.
It is the kind of attention to detail which Naismith claims is necessary if Gers are to one day topple Celtic from their perch at the top of Scottish football.
He told Press Association Sport: 'I think for everybody they [Warburton and Weir] have been a breath of fresh air.
'They have worked tirelessly up until now to build foundations so they can move on for years to come. It is not just a quick fix.
Steven Naismith is delighted with how his old club are performing so far this season
The Everton star spent five years at Rangers before he moved to the Premier League in 2012
'They have taken their time in terms of the signings, signed good prospects and people who complement each other. And in the background they are working so hard to make sure that all the way down to youth level they are playing the right way, the same way, and learning.
'It has been a fantastic appointment so far and I think the results show that.'
Meanwhile, the Scotland striker insists Gordon Strachan's side will not let the prospect of two World Cup qualifying clashes with England distract their bid to reach next year's European Championships.
The former Brentford manager has brought new training regimes to the club
The Dark Blues have been paired with the Auld Enemy in the qualifying phase for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, with the Wembley head-to-head scheduled for November next year and the Hampden return for June 2017.
They will also face fixtures against Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania and Malta.
But before that the Scots are hopeful they can end their 18-year exile from major tournaments by securing a slot at Euro 2016 in France.
They currently sit third in Group D, three behind leaders Poland and two back from Germany.
Naismith has been an ever-present for Scotland as they aim to qualify for Euro 2016 in France
Naismith said: 'It's a very good draw. I think we don't want to look at that too much until the Euros are over.
'We had a taste of England last season, albeit in a friendly, and it was a great occasion but one where we probably didn't show up as well as we could. I think when we play them competitively it will be slightly different because there will be much more riding on the game.
'But as a squad we are focusing on the next game, which is Georgia for the Euros. We are in a fantastic position and one where we fully believe we can qualify.'
For a second year, Steven Naismith is donating tickets for Everton home matches to unemployed football fans throughout the season in an initiative with Jobcentreplus centres across Liverpool.
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