Barry Ferguson names player he wanted to sign for Rangers – ‘People laughed at me’
Barry Ferguson has spoken out on who he would have signed as Rangers manager.
Ferguson spent two spells in Govan as a player, while also agreeing to become the interim head coach for a part of the 2024-25 season following the sacking of Philippe Clement.
He oversaw huge away wins to Celtic and Fenerbahce, with Rangers particularly thriving in the Europa League under his stewardship.
Ferguson was let go by Andrew Cavenagh at the end of the campaign, yet many fans believe that he should have been given a proper opportunity at Ibrox.
And if he had been given the chance, he would have signed a St Mirren player.
Barry Ferguson would have signed Alex Gogic for Rangers
St. Mirren beat Celtic 3-1 in the Premier Sports Cup final, condemning the Hoops to a painful defeat in Wilfried Nancy’s third game in charge.
Speaking on The Go Radio Football Podcast Show on 22 December, Ferguson outlined that the trio of Jonah Ayunga, Mikael Mandron and Alexandros Gogic could be huge successes at Ibrox.
He said: “[Ayunga and Mandron] can play. They’re big, powerful forwards who know where the back of the net is. I do believe they could go to Rangers and do a job.
“People laughed at me about signing Gogic, but he could play anywhere.”
Ayunga scored the brace that proved to be decisive in the final, with Gogic assisting his first goal, while Mandron scored in this weekend’s 1-0 win over Livingston.
All three players have enjoyed far better seasons already for St. Mirren compared to Rangers, and it highlights the recruitment issues in Govan.
How would life look with Barry Ferguson as the manager?
Ferguson previously stated that he would have signed Lawrence Shankland, and it’s fair to say that Rangers completely dropped the ball.
Kevin Thelwell’s disastrous role in the summer transfer window has set the Bears back massively, and opting for young players with high potential hasn’t worked out.
Players with Scottish Premiership experience would have been successful much quicker in Govan, and Ferguson’s appointment could have pushed this narrative through to Thelwell.
| Stat | Barry Ferguson |
| Games managed | 15 |
| Wins | 6 |
| Draws | 5 |
| Losses | 4 |
| Goals scored | 29 |
| Goals conceded | 21 |
| Win percentage | 40 |
It must be said that his win percentage isn’t good at all, and there were defensive problems that were hard to ignore during his reign.
However, the Gers icon earned the right to have his chance, and the 49ers opting for Russell Martin instead effectively ended the season before it started.
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