While Barry Ferguson may be lacking in top-level managerial experience – at least compared to Philippe Clement – Rangers’ newly-hired interim boss may have a few advantages over his Ibrox predecessor.
Kris Boyd spent three years at Rangers alongside Barry Ferguson from 2006 to 2009. If anyone knows the legendary captain inside and out, it’s him.
And while Ferguson’s CV as a head coach hardly makes for particularly glittering reading – Clyde, Kelty Hearts and a poor 33-game spell in charge of Alloa Athletic – what he does bring to the table is a detailed understanding of what is required to succeed at Rangers.
An inside track, from his role as an ambassador, into the struggles of Scotland’s slumbering giants. A superb relationship with an expectant fanbase, and a straight-talking, no-nonsense approach when it comes to communication.
That Ferguson has been joined by Neil McCann, Billy Dodds and Allan McGregor – three more bonafide Rangers icons – means Boyd is expecting a reaction from the existing blue-clad crop at the very least with Kilmarnock to come on Wednesday night.
Kris Boyd explains what Barry Ferguson will bring to Rangers
“There’s that old cliche about a clean slate for everyone and I think it has to be,” Boyd explains. “They need to get a reaction from the players. I’m sure they will.
“If Barry can get the players on side pretty quickly, he will get an upturn in results. There is no doubt about it.”
Boyd feels that Ferguson – a natural-born leader – is likely to be embraced by a squad who may have grown tired of Philippe Clement’s increasingly questionable post-match comments.
While Clement apologise to an irate Rangers fanbase following Saturday’s dismal 2-0 home defeat to St Mirren, the Belgian also laid plenty of blame at the door of the dressing room. Rangers, he said, were ‘so nervous’ on the day, and Clement claimed to have had no idea as to the cause.
“I think there was a real lack of trust from the manager to the players, and the players to the manager,” Boyd adds, highlighting Clement’s tendency to chop-and-change his starting XI as well as make numerous half-time substitutions.
“I know, if I was in that dressing room listening to my manager speaking in the way he did half the time… I don’t think you will get that kind of nonsense coming out of Barry’s mouth.
“The interviews after the game, some of the stuff [Clement] came out with… You know some of those comedy sketches you see? That’s what it was half the time!”
“I think [Ferguson] has surrounded himself by people who have been in coaching for a long time now and that can only help. The key thing is, as well, they have all been players in the football club and they know the pressure. I think that’s where Philippe Clement cracked. He couldn’t handle the pressure
“Barry Ferguson has been under pressure all his Rangers carer. Nothing is going to change and he’ll know exactly how to handle it.”
Philippe Clement repeats Monaco mistakes at Rangers
A five-time Premiership champion and one of the most influential captain’s in the club’s modern history, Boyd certainly has a point.
The former striker also sees striking similarities with how things unravelled for Clement in his previous job at French giants Monaco.
Over in Ligue 1, the Principality outfit would often perform at their best against top opposition – they beat PSG 3-0 and 3-1 during his time in charge – but frequently dropped points in games they were expected to win.
Rangers, for instance, hammered Celtic 3-0 at the start of 2025 before going on to slip up against Dundee, Queen’s Park and St Mirren.
“There was no urgency to Rangers’ play. That has been an issue for a long-time now,” Boyd explains. “When you look at Rangers’ performances when they had a full weeks training, really poor. And I think that tells you all you need to know.
“Was there a style of play? Was there a gameplan? I’m not quite sure there was.”
