Barry Ferguson is used to having doubters in his career but it’s never stopped the former Rangers captain before.
As a player, a teenage Barry Ferguson broke through at Ibrox and went on to not only captain the club, but embody many of the principles that make Rangers great.
In recent seasons, Ferguson’s indifferent spells as a manager in the Scottish lower leagues have raised big doubts about the ex-Scotland captain’s credentials.
Whilst this is a level alien to the Ibrox legend, those stints at Clyde, Kelty Hearts and Alloa Athletic certainly raised eyebrows when Ferguson was appointed interim Rangers manager.
But after masterminding Rangers to a famous Europa League victory over Fenerbahce, Ferguson has taken plenty of the plaudits.
The interim Rangers boss has also had some things to say about his detractors too. Doubt him if you may, it only adds fuel to the Ibrox legend’s fire.
Barry Ferguson sends message to Rangers detractors
When Barry Ferguson switched Rangers’ tactics in the first leg against Fenerbahce it left the great man Jose Mourinho backpedaling in Turkey.
That 3-1 victory proved the foundation of Rangers’ impressive Europa League win over the Special One’s team with a 2-0 defeat at Ibrox forcing the tie to penalties.
Jose Mourinho had some choice words for the referees come full-time but, in spite of the groans, Rangers progress to the competition’s last eight.
Mourinho also had some time for the Rangers fans with the scenes at full-time reminiscent of that famous run to Seville.
With the Gers to face Athletic Bilbao in the Quarter Final, fans are starting to dream they might be going back to Spain in May.
For Barry Ferguson, nights like Fenerbahce are what make Rangers the club they are and the Ibrox manager beamed with pride at the achievement come full-time.
That’s even if some doubted his ability to ever steer the club through such a tricky tie.
“I’ve said this many a times, I’m proud,” said Ferguson. “Listen, to play with the club and then captain the club. It was obviously a boyhood dream. But to stand on the sidelines and lead the team that I grew up supporting as a boy is an amazing feeling.
“But listen, to be appointed, I know there’s a lot of people who say that I wasn’t qualified, I wasn’t the right guy for the job. That just makes me even more determined.
”So look, I’m coming in here to do the best that I can for this three months. I’m going to give it everything.”
Barry Ferguson: ‘Rangers team are playing for me’
Ferguson has routinely swerved talk of the taking the Rangers manager’s job permanently and insists he’s taking it one game at a time.
But it doesn’t take Columbo to work out the Ibrox legend’s stance on taking the gig full-time.
Rangers are on the verge of a US takeover which could see a change of direction as big investment comes into Glasgow in the summer ahead.
But in a messages to the club’s new leadership, Ferguson insists that this Rangers team, who were devoid on confidence when he walked into the building, are now playing for him and the Ibrox cause.
| Rangers under Barry Ferguson |
| Kilmarnock v Rangers (2-4) |
| Rangers v Motherwell (1-2) |
| Fenerbahce v Rangers (1-3) |
| Rangers v Fenerbahce (0-2) |
But whilst the result is big for the directors, the players and himself, above all else Ferguson is just delighted to give the adoring Rangers fans another away day trip to the continent.
“One thing you’re seeing, certainly for the players, is they’re digging deep for me,” Ferguson insists. “And that’s what I’ll ask them.
“Because I know there’s good players. I know there’s good footballers in there. You just need a bit of guidance to understand what it means to play for this club. And now I think that’s starting to hit home.
”I thought tonight’s performance, in terms of the result, wasn’t great. But I just thought the way that they carried themselves. They didn’t feel sorry for themselves. They kept going to the very end to take it into penalties.
“And obviously, we came through the penalty situation. So I’m just absolutely delighted for the players, for the board of directors, and most importantly, for the supporters. Because they’re going to get another brilliant away day in Europe.”
