Andy Halliday was left stunned by Barry Ferguson’s decision-making in the first half of Rangers’ victory over Dundee.
The former Rangers midfielder, 33, was speaking after Rangers roared back against Dundee in yet another Scottish Premiership comeback.
Cyriel Dessers was the hero for Rangers after the Nigerian international popped up in the final minute with a deft finish over the outrushing Trevor Carson.
But despite the Ibrox side eventually running out 4-3 winners at Dens Park, Andy Halliday admits that he was ‘amazed’ by Barry Ferguson’s decision not to sub one player off before half-time in the City of Discovery.
Andy Halliday ‘amazed’ by Barry Ferguson Ridvan Yilmaz call
Andy Halliday reckons Ridvan Yilmaz should’ve suffered the ignominy of being hooked in the first 45 at Dens Park.
Yilmaz skewed two left-foot crosses in the opening period of the game and put in a headless performance which led to Rangers News rating the defender 3/10.
With interim Rangers manager Ferguson showing a penchant for making in-game changes, Halliday was left ‘amazed’ when Yilmaz wasn’t hooked for the performance.
Former Rangers star Halliday – who played at left-back plenty during his five-year stint in Glasgow – even rated the defender’s showing as low as 1/10.
“I was amazed (Ferguson) never made a change in the first half,” Halliday told Open Goal.
”Yilmaz, mate. We said (Alistair) Johnston was a 1/10 in the Old Firm; Yilmaz was a 1/10 at the weekend.“
Halliday explains that Yilmaz’s performance was so bad that, he actually expected the interim Rangers manager to ‘drag’ him off the pitch.
”Twice he tried to cross it from 40 yards out and it went over the goal, like over the bar,” Halliday said.
”The next time he got it he tried to slide somebody down the line and he put it out for a goal kick.
”Because of what Ferguson’s being doing (making changes earlier) we were on the bus like that, ‘he’s getting dragged in the next five minutes’.
“Nah he stayed on but then he makes the two changes at half-time.”
Rangers approach Ridvan Yilmaz crossroads after Dens Park horror show
Barry Ferguson would sub on Ianis Hagi for Leon Balogun and change the defensive shape from a back five to a back four for the second half with Rangers 2-1 down.
Ian McCall has criticised Bailey Rice, who was also substituted on in the place of Connor Barron for the second period.
But Ridvan wasn’t hooked until the 61st minute of the match, where the Turkish international was replaced by returning Brazilian defender Jefte.
| Ridvan Yilmaz stats v Dundee | |
| Minutes | 61 |
| Goals (xG) | 0 (0) |
| Assists (xA) | 0 (0.03) |
| Passes (accuracy) | 16/22 (73%) |
| Duels won (%) | 2/3 (66%) |
| Touches (in opposition box) | 37 (0) |
| Accurate crosses (%) | 1/3 (33%) |
| Defensive actions | 5 |
| Passes into final third | 2 |
Rangers completed a £5m deal to sign Ridvan from Besiktas in 2022 but since then injury and a lack of form have hampered the defender’s progress.
Yilmaz has been subject to exit links almost since he joined the Gers and ahead of the summer window, Rangers are approaching a crossroads with the defender.
With Ridvan Yilmaz running down his Rangers contract, the Gers must either tie the 23-year-old down on a new deal or ship the kid out this summer.
