Rangers oversee ‘completely bonkers end to an era’ at Ibrox
Rangers is run like a rollercoaster at the calmest of times, it seems, as Barry Ferguson looks to revive what’s left of the season at Ibrox.
That comes purely in the shape of European competition, with Thursday night’s stunning win for Rangers at Fenerbahce setting up a spectacle this week back in Govan on which all the supporters’ excitement now rests upon.
Since the start of the season – which was played at Hampden Park – Rangers fans have endured stadium obstacles, massive voids on the board, the agonising Scottish League Cup final against Celtic, some outrageous wins and equally horrendous defeats under Philippe Clement, shocking transfer deals, and now their former captain coming back and beating Jose Mourinho on his team’s own patch. The league split hasn’t even arrived yet, and now there’s a new ownership regime waiting in the wings.
Ferguson appointment ‘completely bonkers’
Gary Keown, airing his thoughts on page 90 of the Scottish Mail on Sunday (9 March), has claimed many considered Ferguson’s interim appointment with utter bewilderment.
Granted, the 47-year-old’s managerial career has so far taken in only Clyde, Kelty Hearts and Alloa Athletic – alongside a caretaker stint at Blackpool – but it’s clear Rangers have opted for the ‘bleeds blue’ approach with Ferguson and his coaching staff.
The board at Ibrox will reconsider the position on a long-term basis in the summer, while the Gers’ Europa League journey and subsequent league fixtures act as an audition for the ex-Ibrox skipper – who lifted 15 trophies as a player in Glasgow.
Keown describes the “bonkers” appointment of Ferguson as the “perfect end to an era”.
“Credit to Ferguson too, by the way. Plenty of people – including the author of this page, to be fair – shook their heads in bewilderment over his appointment as Rangers’ interim manager,” he said.
“It still feels completely bonkers. Perhaps the perfect end to an era, mind you, that has brought the same kind of discipline, calm and order in the boardroom as you’d find at a five-year-old’s birthday party with unlimited sweeties.
“However, Ferguson’s unexpected switch to a back three worked a treat and injected fresh life into a season that was very much on life support. Sure, he still can’t be given the head coach role on a permanent basis, although more results like that victory in the Sukru Saracoglu might give the prospective new owners a headache they could do without.”
Rangers could have huge decision to make on Ferguson
Rangers will be hoping to complete the takeover by the US consortium sooner rather than later, as 49ers Enterprises chief Paraag Marathe and health insurance tycoon Andrew Cavenagh seek 51 per cent of the shares at Ibrox as a controlling stake.
One of the major decisions they may have to make in their opening weeks in charge is whether or not to keep Ferguson, which could turn out to be a far more difficult call than when he was appointed in late February.
Even by Rangers’ standards, there has rarely been a season so eventful, so chaotic, and many Gers fans are finding it hard not to be completely disillusioned until the Europa League rolls back around.
| Barry Ferguson – Rangers playing career | Appearances | Goals | Major trophies |
| 1997-2003, 2005-2009 | 431 | 60 | 15 |
The season hinges on Thursday (13 March) at Ibrox against Mourinho’s Fenerbahce, who will fly over to Scotland with a vengeance. A massive place in the quarter-finals is at stake, and all have seen the higher gear the Light Blues can unlock in Europe which has for a long time been found wanting domestically.
If you were going to tell anyone they would be gunning to lift a European trophy as Rangers manager just a matter of weeks ago, Ferguson more than many would have told you how “bonkers” you were.