MARK WARBURTON might be a coach known for being forward thinking but he can’t believe his younger players are so blissfully unaware of the past.

Some, but not all of them, don’t know enough about the history of Rangers or anything at all about greats of the game such as Diego Maradona, Franz Beckenbauer or Johan Cruyff.

And, sadly, you read that right.

Warburton comes across as a patient man, but even he admitted to frustration when it comes the lack of knowledge shown by some of his charges when he name-drops players who he imagined everyone would know. Especially professional footballers.

Young people today. Tut.

Warburton said: "If you ask some of our young boys they won’t know who Maradona is. It is depressing. They are 18 and don’t have a handle on that stuff.

"They weren’t alive so have no idea – and you can forget Johan Cruyff. They know about the Cruyff turn, but not him.

“That’s the world we live in. They don’t know about Rangers’ history, 54 titles and the great European nights. That’s all new to them."

Hold the bus for a minute. The know what a Cruyff turn is, but not who the trick is named after. What is that all about?

Warburton said: "They can’t do it (the turn) yet!

"That is just an example that the young guys we deal with don’t know what we take it for granted.

"I joke about watching Brazil, Alan Brazil. I will comment on what a player Alan Brazil was. They only know Alan Brazil from TalkSport. That is the world we live in.

"You have to appreciate that we are getting older and they are a different breed.

“The market is changing. When I was a kid all we ever did was play football, read football books, Roy of the Rovers and everything else.

You lived and breathed football. I think now there are too many choices. Whether it is PlayStation or whatever. It’s not their fault, the world is changing.

"We have got to learn as coaches and managers that you can’t take it for granted that they know who these famous players are.

“I talk to our centre halves about Beckenbauer and the calmness of Beckenbauer. What a player! They look at you and you know you have to refer to someone more recent.”

If this generation don't care so much about legends of the past then they should, according to their gaffer, be at least acquainted with the history of Rangers.

There will be one or two who will only really know the club of the past few years, meaning they would have had to do a bit of research for themselves to gauge what Rangers certainly should be all about.

Warburton said: "I do think it's important for the players to know the history of the club. I have been really pleased with the way the boys have done that.

"The likes of Andy Halliday knows it inside out. They are true Rangers fans.

"It is the likes of Wes Foderingham, Rob Tierney, James Tavernier, Martyn Waghorn and these types of guys appreciating the size of the club and appreciating the history and recognising the responsibility they have got to the fans.

"We use that all the time. We say: ‘You have got a real responsibility so enjoy it'. They have got recognise that.”

It's been two weeks without a game for a group of players who looked as if they could have done with a break.

They should be refreshed and ready for the trip to Livingston to face a team who are in the habit of making life hard for Rangers.

Warburton said: "A break worked well for us before and touch wood it will work well for us again because they have had lots of games and you do get the niggles, you do get the small injuries which you need to try and shake off. It does give you the chance to do that.

"It does give a couple of boys a chance to get some sunshine, rest and recuperation, quality family time, whatever it might be. So it is three or four days, but it is really useful for us.

"We are not dictatorial and you have got to trust them. They get tested when they leave here, they get tested when they come back.

"There is no hiding place for a modern professional footballer now in terms of body fat and urine tests and every type of test. Their job is to do what’s right to be a top class player.”

And it was good that the manager could, sort of, switch off.

He said: "I got some home cooking and put a couple of kilos back on again. It was good to get away.

"When I do get home it’s as if I fly back again almost right away. So it was nice to get a few days. My son had a hotel guest book at the door and I had a list of jobs – which I failed miserably to do.

“I think everyone has a job in which when you’re away, the brain is ticking all the time. But the break went well.

“Not seeing my family is the hardest part, in truth, but the positive is that I can get on with my job.

"It’s tough. But the fact is I can crack on such as going to the Hibs game on Tuesday night with no hassle. The downside is you don’t see them for three or four weeks at a time.”