Barry Ferguson launches defence of James Sands performances at Rangers amid ‘way over the board’ criticism
James Sands has been criticised for some of his Rangers showings this season, but Barry Ferguson has jumped to his defence.
Sands has been forced to use his versatility and fill in a number of positions this season due to Rangers’ injury-hit squad, and for that reason Ferguson believes he should avoid criticism.
Following Connor Goldson’s injury, Sands has been filling in for Gers at centre-back and started there on Tuesday night against Ajax. The Dutch side scored three to condemn Rangers to being the worst-ever Champions League side, but Ferguson still stood by Sands.
“I thought he was terrific against Aberdeen. He was my Man of the Match. I think he’s come in for unfair criticism at times,” Ferguson told the Go Radio Football Show, as quoted by Glasgow Live.
“He is playing centre-back which is not his natural position. For me, he is a good player is James Sands and I believe some of the criticism has been way over the board.”
Out of position
As Sands is playing out of his natural position, there has to be some leniency in the assessment of his performances.
At just 22 years old, the young American is still gaining experience and yet is willing to put himself out of his comfort zone for the good of the team. In that regard, Sands deserves plenty of credit.
The club’s poor squad planning has been exposed with this latest string of injuries, and it’s hardly Sands’ fault that he has had to fill in at the back.
Hopefully Giovanni van Bronckhorst and the board address Rangers’ flaws in January and bolster the defence. If – or hopefully when – that does happen, fans and pundits can start to truly see Sands’ abilities.
But while he remains at centre-back, all Gers fans will ask for is for him to give 100 per cent and apply himself fully to the task at hand.
There are three matches remaining until the World Cup break, and Sands will likely have to stay put at centre-back until then.
In other Rangers news, Ally McCoist explodes at a ‘shocking’ James Tavernier moment v Ajax