Chris Sutton calls out fickle Rangers fans over Ferguson and Clement – ‘Disgrace’
Chris Sutton has hit out at Rangers fans after making a new Barry Ferguson and Philippe Clement observation.
Ferguson got his stint as the interim head coach of Rangers off to a winning start, earning a 4-2 comeback victory over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Wednesday, 26 February.
The former Gers captain was evidently worried as Killie took a two-goal lead within 14 minutes of kick-off but displayed his tactical acumen by replacing Clinton Nsiala with Ridvan Yilmaz just after the half-hour mark.
While the decision may have raised some eyebrows, it paid dividends for the Ibrox outfit as they went to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and put four goals past Kieran O’Hara.
Sutton suggests Clement hypocrisy among Rangers fans
Rangers fans have been waxing lyrical about Ferguson for making the early change, but Sutton feels that has highlighted the hypocrisy among the supporters.
The pundit recalled how the Gers faithful had a completely different reaction when Clement hauled Bailey Rice at half-time in the 1-0 Scottish Cup defeat against Queen’s Park on 9 February.
“Philippe Clement was a disgrace for taking Bailey Rice off, Barry Ferguson was a genius taking Clinton Nsiala off. Football eh”, Sutton wrote on X (26 February).
Ferguson delighted after win v Kilmarnock
It has been a busy few days for Ferguson as he was appointed as the Rangers head coach until the end of the season on Monday (24 February), just a day after Clement’s exit was confirmed.
The 47-year-old had to hit the ground running at Auchenhowie as the Light Blues prepared for their trip to Kilmarnock on Wednesday.
Ferguson would have certainly dreamed of becoming a Rangers manager after hanging up his boots in 2015 and starting his stint with a comeback win against Derek McInnes and Co would have been surreal for him.
As for Sutton’s comments, the head coach was right to substitute Nsiala as the centre-back was disastrous for Rangers despite being on the pitch for just over 30 minutes.
Whereas, Clement’s idea behind substituting Rice for Nico Raskin against Queen’s Park was strange.