Barry Ferguson claims it took only five minutes to agree to become the interim manager of Rangers.
But it took slightly longer to convince an Ibrox dream to come along for the ride.
Rangers’ decision to look to the former Ibrox captain has turned heads around British football with Barry Ferguson to lead a team of Ibrox legends in the dugout.
Bringing together a team of Neil McCann, Billy Dodds and Allan McGregor, the Rangers legend has been reflecting on a whirlwind 48 hours.
Barry Ferguson on Rangers return
”It’s obviously been hectic but also it’s been enjoyable,” Ferguson told his first press conference as Rangers manager.
”Surprised that I obviously got the call on Sunday but it only took five minutes to agree to become the interim manager until the end of the season.”
Ferguson has also been discussing the backroom team that he’s bringing with him to the Auchenhowie.
All three of Billy Dodds, Neil McCann and Allan McGregor know how it works at Ibrox and Ferguson claims they were his first choice picks as coaches.
”Then it was a case of me trying to get my staff together which thankfully took only about ten or twelve hours,” said Ferguson.
”I was worried in case it would drag on a wee bit but thankfully it wasn’t the case and I got the three guys that I wanted to come in.”
Barry Ferguson on why he wanted backroom trio
Barry Ferguson has also been discussing specifically why he wanted these three names back at the club.
The Rangers legend claims that whilst the group’s shared Ibrox experience is central to their appointments, the trio’s personalities are equally as important.
”There’s a number of reasons if I’m being honest with you,” said Ferguson.
”Both Neil and Billy have obviously got experience as being managers at a good level.
”They’ve obviously, alongside Allan, played with the club. They obviously know the demands and the expectations so that was important to me as well.
”They’re bubbly about the place. They’re big characters. They like to get in amongst the boys.”
Rangers looked a shy and timid team when turning out at Ibrox in front of Queen’s Park and St Mirren.
It ultimately cost Philippe Clement, who suggested that ‘nerves’ had recently gotten the better of the Rangers players.
Ferguson insists that having big personalities at the training ground is crucial to rebuilding confidence in Glasgow.
Whilst the interim Gers boss rates all three former Rangers players as ‘good coaches’, their presence will be crucial in another way after a ‘difficult’ few weeks at Ibrox.
”I think that’s important because obviously the last couple of weeks has been difficult for this group of players,” said Ferguson when expanding on the personalities of the trio.
”So it was important I got the right people in who would get in about them.
”And also myself, it’s important the players feel comfortable around good people but also good coaches.”
Later in the press conference, Ferguson summed the decision up perfectly: “I want the players, I want the staff to be walking through these front doors with a smile on their face. And certainly that’s what I got from the players today.
“When they come in, they were bubbly. That’s the way it’s going to be. But also there’s going to be a serious side to it. When we train, we’ll train and we’ll put demands on them.
“And they’re also understanding that it’s about winning games and we have to win games of football.”
