JOHN COLLINS, the Celtic assistant manager, believes Mark Warburton is in for a rude awakening at Rangers which he described as "miles apart" from being manager of Brentford.
The former Scotland midfielder did, however, admit that he would welcome Rangers back into Scottish football's top flight, a comment that will be always seen as contentious by some of his own supporters until it actually happens.
Warburton was unveiled by Rangers on Monday and in a radio interview, Collins admitted his surprise by the road taken by Rangers and that the management team were about to discover just how big a task awaits them.
"It's an interesting appointment. I am disappointed for Stuart McCall. I played with him at Scotland, he's a great lad and he went in (to Rangers) at a tough time to try and get them up," said Collins.
"Mark Warburton did really well by all accounts at Brentford over the last couple of years with results, but it's a big step up to Rangers, a big move for him, The expectation from Brentford to Rangers is miles apart. You are expected to win every game at Rangers. He has a big rebuilding job because they have released lots of players and he needs to sign players.
"But Scottish football needs Rangers up, they need my old club Hibs."
Collins did add that former Scotland team-mate Davie Weir will be a vital ally for the new man who at 52 has less than two years as a manager on his CV. Weir, a former Rangers captain, will act as the No2 just as he did at the English Championship outfit where the two men did enjoy success.
"Davie played for a number of years at Rangers. He will be a great assistant because he knows that club inside and out," said Collins.
While the new Rangers management team begin the rebuilding job Collins spoke about, he and Ronny Deila have only four weeks to strengthen the Celtic squad before the Champions League qualifiers begin.
"Every manager and team is trying to get a couple in at this time of the year, it's never easy, and hopefully we can before the Champions League qualifiers," said Collins. "They come think and fast these important games for us at the start of the season. We're back next week, June 23, it's an early start because we've got the qualifiers on July 15/16."
And when asked whether Virgil Van Dijk would be one to leave, freeing up space for new arrivals, Collins was adamant that wasn't a foregone conclusion, despite the player himself talking last week about the need he felt to move on.
"Virgil is a class act. A top player. He could play in any team in Europe," said Collins. "There won't be many better centre-halves - what a football player.
"I don't want to talk him up too much because I want to keep him. I train with him every day, and while I played with a lot of talent, he is a great player. Hopefully we can keep him."
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