IT could scarcely have gone better for Mark Warburton at the start of his Rangers career. The refurbishment of his squad is all but complete – he does not expect to augment his numbers before the window closes on Tuesday night – and his players have responded well to his promptings by winning their first seven matches. The Scottish second tier and two of the domestic cups have yet to provide him with anything resembling a stiff challenge and yet he remains on high alert for the day when not everything goes to plan.

“The sun is shining now and it’s all very nice,” he said, sadly only in a metaphorical sense on another largely dreich Glasgow day. “But I’m sure when we have a bad game or a bad day at the office then dark clouds will roll in. But our job is to recognise that situation. If we can avoid the dark clouds for as long as we can then long may the sun shine. I think we have a really strong squad. The players are gelling and they are enjoying what they are doing. Our job has to be to keep on pushing forward.”

There hasn’t been much forward planning at Rangers over the past three years but the only time Warburton takes a short-term view is when it comes to preparing for the next match, in this instance Queen of the South tomorrow. In every other regard his focus is on dealing with the minutiae, of making sure that everything is as good as it can be off the field to help his team on it. He speaks regularly with the board – in particular Andrew Dickson and Stewart Robertson – and revealed they are already making plans for the January transfer window.

“Communication is key,” he added. “It’s important that the board know what we’re thinking in terms of the squad, players in and out, planning ahead, and where we’re heading. We’re looking now to January, what we need to do, the squad profile, where we are light, where we are strong, how we use the loan market. So we have to keep planning all the time.

“We have targets we’re looking for in January. Again, we have to show teams that we can look after their players. We have to show the environment’s right, that we have that winning mentality.

“There are so many things that we have to do here. But, touch wood, we’re in good shape right now. It’s been a good start.

“You look ahead in terms of the squad, whether you get an injury or suspension. That’s fine. But, our focus has to be on one game at a time. I’m amazed that people talk about games in three weeks’ time. But it doesn’t matter. If you lose three games in between then it’s irrelevant. Our focus has to be on Queen of the South on Sunday.. Once the game’s out the way, then we’ll look at what comes next.”

Warburton sees delight among the Rangers fans and realises a large part of that is simply relief following three often turbulent years.

“I’ve learned every day,” he added. “You speak to the tea ladies and groundstaff. One week into the job I was well aware of how the people behind the scenes here felt about things. You speak to everyone here and at Ibrox and you become very aware of the pain there’s been at this club over the last three or four years. So they are primed and ready to go again. They are desperate to see the club back to where it needs to be.”

Among Warburton’s new signings is Gedion Zelalem, the Arsenal loanee who made his debut in Wednesday night’s League Cup win over Airdrieonians.

“I’ve settled in well and it’s been a good week,” said the 18 year-old. “The facilities are great, the training is good and it was a great performance against Airdrie on Wednesday. Everyone knows about Glasgow Rangers and you wouldn’t play in front of 50,000 fans by joining any other club on loan. The type of attendances at Ibrox will replicate what it’s like at Arsenal and there is also the fact you have to win every week here.”