Bill Leckie blasts Rangers man after recent development
Bill Leckie has slammed Barry Ferguson for the hypocrisy surrounding Rangers and their bad results at home.
Gers lost their fifth straight home game recently, after suffering a 2-0 defeat against Hibs at Ibrox on Saturday.
Ferguson was hired by the board mid-way through the campaign on an interim basis until the end of the season.
Phillippe Clement comparison made by Leckie
Leckie believes that Ferguson cannot get away with the current performances while under Philippe Clement, it was he who had to take the blame and not the players.
When the Belgian was in charge, he was the one in the firing line each time the team put in a bad performance.
However, with Ferguson, few fingers are pointed towards him and most people are criticising the players.
| Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses |
| 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
Leckie wrote in the Sun on 6 April: “What else did those expect when they brought in who they did as caretaker manager?
“I wrote at the time that it wasn’t a Rangers Man they needed in the dugout – it was someone who could teach them to defend properly, to win balls in the middle of the park, to bury chances.
“On Saturday, that Rangers Man was the first to admit that they did none of those things. You could see the hurt in his eyes, hear the anger in his words and his tone.
“What doesn’t wash, however, is the fact that when these performances were happening under Philippe Clement, he was the fall-guy, the dud, the one they needed shot of – yet now that a club legend’s in charge, it’s down the players not listening, not doing what they’re being asked.
“Well, I’m sorry. But you can’t get the job because the last manager carried the can for rank rotten results, then dump the blame for yet more rank rotten results onto the team.”
49ers will judge Ferguson based on the next two months at Rangers
Clement had over 18 months as Rangers manager to instill his philosophy, yet the players consistently failed to respond.
Despite ample time, which was far more than most managers get, his team conceded soft goals and lacked midfield bite.
That said, Ferguson’s honeymoon as caretaker won’t last long if he’s to convince the 49ers that he’s the permanent fix.
Results like Saturday’s limp display, lacking fight, defensive nous, or clinical edge, echo the failures that ousted Clement, putting Ferguson on notice.
With the 49ers eyeing a takeover, they’ll demand a manager who can maximise their investment, not a nostalgia pick coasting on sentiment.
Ferguson admitted to the team’s deficiencies, but words won’t sway hard-nosed businessmen; wins will.
He’s got until the season’s end, perhaps 10-12 games, to prove he can drill discipline and spark into this squad.
Without quick improvement, he risks being seen as a stopgap, not a solution, leaving the 49ers to look elsewhere for a proven tactician to lead their Ibrox vision.