MARTYN WAGHORN was tipped to enjoy a “long and successful career” by his manager Roy Keane, who isn’t exactly renowned for lavishing praise on people, after breaking into the first team at Sunderland as a teenager in 2007.
And the burly striker’s uncanny ability to unlock opposition defences and plunder goals also persuaded Leicester City to pay a £3m transfer fee to secure his services when he was a lad of just 20 three years later.
Since those hugely encouraging beginnings, though, the former England Under-21 internationalist’s fortunes have, while not exactly going into freefall, faltered badly.
He has been dogged by niggling injuries and was unable to establish himself at Leicester, Hull City, Millwall or Wigan Athletic during four highly frustrating and nomadic years.
Yet, Waghorn’s self-belief hasn’t been dented by that difficult spell and he is confident he can resurrect his career after agreeing a three-year contract with Rangers at the start of this week.
The immediate goal for the 23-year-old, who made his debut as a lone front-man in the 1-0 pre-season friendly defeat to Burnley on Tuesday night, will be to help the Ibrox club win promotion into the top flight.
However, he is confident he can realise his long-held ambition of playing in the Champions League with his new employers – before his current deal expires.
“I’ve had a difficult couple of years and had a few loans,” said Waghorn. “I hoped the move to Wigan would have worked out better, but the change of manager was hard. I never really settled and as a striker you want to be playing week in, week out.
“The objective of the club is to get back into the Champions League and I want to be part of that, I want to be here for many years. I’ve got a young family and I want to settle and give my best years and hopefully have a few successful years.
“The way the club’s going and the way the gaffer’s got us playing, our intention is to get promoted and then challenge next season. That’s what everyone has got to look to do. We have a good mix of experience and youth.
“It’s a massive club, great players and anything less than that will be a disappointment. I want to win and achieve as much as I can. I’m up here for three years and I’d like to stay for a long time. It’s down to me to keep my place and I know that.
“I’m really pleased. I can get settled and just focus on my football which is what I want to do. I’m really excited by the challenge. It’s a massive club and I’m very honoured and privileged to be part of it. I’ll do my best and three years gives me a chance to get my head down and play my best football.
“With the set of lads we’ve got here, and the opportunities which we’ll create, hopefully we’ll score goals and really get this team back where it belongs and pushing on all fronts.”
Wigan failed to beat the Brentford side managed by Warburton in their two matches against them in the Sky Bet Championship last season – they drew 0-0 at home and lost 3-0 away – before being relegated to League One.
Waghorn was impressed with what he saw of the Griffin Park club – who defied expectations to finish fifth ahead of the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Derby County and Wolves and reach the play-offs – and is looking forward to working with his countryman at Rangers.
“They played us off the park twice home and away," he said. "Just the way they played you can see that’s the way he wants us to play football, don’t be afraid to make mistakes and go out and enjoy it. It’s going to be a real football season and hopefully we can win a lot of games.
“I met Mark and Davie [Weir] the other week. I’ve met Mark a couple of times after playing against his sides and know of him. They set out their standards and spoke of where they want to take the club and that was good enough for me. I want to be part of it.”
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