Can Rangers turn the tide in 75 days? Ferguson thinks so

Barry Ferguson (right) gave Nedim Bajrami a rare Rangers start last weekend

A Scottish summer can be many things - sunny, wet, short and, potentially in 2025, premature.

The warm weather currently on display threatens, in the minds of pessimists, to be all used up by the time the school holidays kick in.

In football terms, the Scottish summer can be very short. It was put to Rangers interim head coach Barry Ferguson at his Friday media conference that there were 74 days until what could be the club's first competitive fixture of next season. If it's not that day, it will be the following one.

So, can Rangers turn around their fortunes on the park in time for next season's kick-off?

'High possibility you can change it'

The game in question will be a Champions League second qualifying round first leg with huge pressure on Rangers to progress to generate income after missing out over the past two seasons.

Interim head coach Ferguson, 47, repeated his sentiments that there have to be "changes" at Ibrox while admitting he was no clearer on his own future. The only confirmed change so far is the impending arrival of sporting director Kevin Thelwell.

A proposed takeover by American investors continues apace off the pitch and former chairman and current shareholder Dave King suggested this week that mid-June was a realistic timescale for completion. A lot is happening.

But Ferguson believes there is enough time to be ready for next season.

It was suggested to Ferguson that, across the city, Celtic underwent a significant re-build under former boss Ange Postecoglou in the summer of 2021. Four league titles and nine trophies later, the nucleus of the Postecoglou team continues to excel.

Ferguson himself was a beneficiary of a significant overhaul in the summer of 1998. Rangers had just come off a trophyless season - their first in 12 years - and new manager Dick Advocaat put the young midfielder at the heart of his rebuild as a multitude of players arrived from overseas. Five trophies in two seasons followed.

"Celtic and other teams have done it," Ferguson said of quick transformations.

"In an ideal world a manager wants time to change things, but unfortunately it's football, you don't get time.

"But yeah, there's a high possibility you can change it, there is no doubt.

"In terms of myself, that doesn't scare me one single bit. If it's me, if it's somebody else, I think they will understand that there is a number of changes needed."

The changing face of the Ibrox squad

One player who could have played his last game for Rangers is midfielder Ianis Hagi, who Ferguson confirmed will miss the rest of the season injured with his contract running out shortly.

Also soon to be out of contract are defender Leon Balogun and midfielder Tom Lawrence, while loans for defenders Rafael Fernandes and Nerayasho Kasanwjiro and wingers Vaclav Cerny and Oscar Cortes are nearing their end.

Injury plagued Cortes, 21, is still likely to be at Ibrox next season unless Rangers can negotiate their way out of an obligation to purchase from Lens. The Columbia international has featured just 14 times in 16 months across his two loan spells.

Defenders John Souttar and James Tavernier, the latter the club captain, will soon enter the final year of their contracts.

Dundee midfielder Lyall Cameron is on his way to Rangers after agreeing a pre-contract but no other deals have been announced as yet.

"In terms of the guys that are running out of contract, no, I've not had any involvement in terms of what I would do and what obviously the players are thinking of doing," said Ferguson.

"It's a bit of a sticky situation, if I'm being honest with you. It's hard and I've got to be honest, I think the players find it hard as well. But again, all I can ask is that they be as professional as possible, which they have again this week.

"We've got to be fair to them, we've kept our heads down, we've worked hard."

Ferguson has been in charge for 12 games since replacing Philippe Clement in February but has won just four, drawing four and losing four.

He is yet to win at Ibrox as Rangers boss and has two more opportunities this season - against Aberdeen on Sunday (12:00 BST) and against Dundee United on Wednesday (19:45).

Rangers complete their season away to Hibernian on 17 May (12:30).

And Ferguson added: "There has been a couple of changes made, and obviously there needs to be a few changes made in terms of what manager is going to be taking the team next year, and who's going to be staying, who's going to be going, signings coming in, etc.

"The 22 July, it's the first qualifying game for the Champions League. That's just around the corner, so we need to be wary of that as well."