New QPR manager Mark Warburton admits his short spell at Nottingham Forest proved to be quite a learning curve, having been greeted with a big level of expectation on Trentside, despite their struggles.
The Loftus Road job is his first since being sacked by the Reds in late December 2017, following a City Ground defeat to Sunderland on New Year’s Eve.
Warburton has been out of management since leaving Forest, and admits that during his stint north of the border with Rangers and then in Nottingham, he’s had to learn some harsh lessons, as well as good ones.
“I’ve learned a few things – some good lessons, some harsh lessons – about what you have to do to deal with the demands of this game,” said the ex-Forest chief at his first press conference as Rs boss.
Having been appointed by Forest in March 2017, Warburton guided the Reds to Championship survival on the final day after a 3-0 win over Ipswich, before seeing the club taken over by Evangelos Marinakis later that summer.
After 14 defeats in the campaign and with the club sitting 14th in the second tier, Forest opted to replace him with Aitor Karanka, with Warburton revealing that he was tougher for his City Ground experience.
“It was an absolute privilege to manage Glasgow Rangers and Nottingham Forest. They are two magnificent football clubs
“The experience of Glasgow Rangers was magnificent – playing in front of 50,000 people and that level of focus on a club was a great learning curve – and again there was the expectation at Forest,” he continued.
“I come here I hope with a far broader knowledge of the game and battle-hardened in some areas in terms of experience.
“You have to benefit from experiences, good and bad.”
