Ferguson ‘not on trial’ as Chris Sutton makes next Rangers manager prediction
Rangers have a massive decision to make on who their next manager will be after appointing Barry Ferguson on an interim basis.
Philippe Clement was sacked at Ibrox following the 2-0 defeat to St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday (22 February).
Ferguson will take charge of his first game against Derek McInnes’ Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Wednesday (26 February).
The Gers icon has Billy Dodds, Allan McGregor and Neil McCann on his coaching staff as they look to turn the tide at the Glaswegian outfit until the end of the season.
Chris Sutton expects Ferguson to leave Rangers
Chris Sutton expects Ferguson to leave the Light Blues at the end of the season.
The ex-Celtic man can’t see any chance of the Bears offering the 47-year-old the managerial role on a permanent basis.
When there were suggestions that Ferguson might be on trial for the job next summer during his interim stint, Sutton immediately dismissed it.
Speaking on BBC’s Monday Night Club (24 February), the former striker said: “He’s not on trial, he’s a filler. That’s all. He will not get it.”
Ibrox expectations not much for Ferguson
Ferguson’s appointment in the Rangers dugout will likely end at the end of the season, and it would be surprising to see him last beyond that.
The former Gers midfielder is an icon at the Glaswegian outfit and may be able to get the best out of the players in the coming months.
While there’s no doubt about the 47-year-old’s leadership qualities, his managerial record hasn’t been the best over the years.
Before Ferguson was chosen to replace Clement at Ibrox, he was the manager at Alloa Athletic, Kelty Hearts and Clyde FC, where he didn’t have the best records.
| Competition (2021/22) | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses |
| Scottish League One | 25 | 6 | 7 | 12 |
With Patrick Stewart potentially accompanied by the 49ers Enterprises, who are in talks to take over the Bears, there could possibly be a big-name head coach in the dugout next summer.
Ferguson doesn’t have much to play for domestically, as the Gers are out of the Scottish Cup and are 13 points behind Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.
The Europa League is the only shot at glory this season, but the Ibrox faithful don’t expect the Light Blues to make a serious push in the competition.
Fans have written off the campaign, and there’s not much the interim boss can do to turn things around quickly.