Rangers

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Interim manager Barry Ferguson says Rangers showed "character" to fight back and beat Kilmarnock.

"It was a horrendous start," he told BBC Scotland.

"We looked a bit nervy all over the pitch, a bit timid, but that's natural given they've come in for a fair bit of criticism.

"Maybe we gave them too much information, because after going two goals down, we got a bit of grip in the game.

"Then, we were different class in the second half, with the type of Rangers performance I expect to see.

"There's a lot to work on and we'll work on it, but one thing they showed tonight was character.

"You've got to be resilient at Glasgow Rangers. There's demands and expectations to win every game and if you don't, you come in for criticism and you need to handle that criticism.

"I see a fire about them. This is a determined group of boys to put things right."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

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When Rangers lost in Ayrshire in October, now-coach Billy Dodds said on Sportsound that the attitude of the visitors was "miles off it".

While slow to get going again on Wednesday, the Ibrox side responded to ease the pressure they were already piling on interim manager Ferguson.

Given recent showing, it wouldn't have been far-fetched to fear for Rangers when they went 2-0 down. This is a squad who have often taken fright in adversity and struggled with setbacks. That wasn't the case in Ayrshire.

After Nsiala departed, they regrouped. From then, they were resurgent.

Earlier in the season, Dodds said it the performance at Rugby Park proved Rangers had "regressed". This, though, was a performance where they showed they have progressed.

As the game went on, they looked stronger, with a bit of steel and filled with a confidence that's been missing.

Now, it's about showing this wasn't just a new manager bounce. Consistency will be key for Ferguson and Rangers.

Not just for his crucial two goals, but Cyriel Dessers' all-round play at Rugby Park was exactly what Rangers needed to fight back and seal victory in Barry Ferguson's first game in charge.

Have a deek across the stats and he's dominant.

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Alasdair Lamont
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

Phew! Even by Rangers' standards, this has been quite the week.

After months of speculation, Philippe Clement was finally relieved of his duties following the meek performance that allowed St Mirren to claim a first victory at Ibrox in over 33 years and less than 24 hours later, former captain Barry Ferguson was installed as interim manager until the end of the season.

Ferguson spoke to the media for the first time on Tuesday and now on Wednesday evening takes charge of his first game along with his trusted lieutenants Allan McGregor, Neil McCann and Billy Dodds as they make the short trip down to Rugby Park to play Kilmarnock, managed by a man who has been regularly linked to the Rangers job in Derek McInnes.

Ferguson's appointment has been met with a mixed reaction, ridiculed in parts, welcomed in others, with the man himself asking to be judged at the end of the season, while stressing he has given no thought to taking the job on longer term.

His task, of turning this team into a winning machine, is not an easy one and he has had little time to implement changes before this first game in charge.

But it will be fascinating to see what tweaks he makes to the starting line-up and perhaps more importantly what psychological impact he has been able to make on a group of players so lacking in belief and resilience.

On a personal level, I am pleased to see McCann and Dodds being given this opportunity, called upon for their managerial experience and coaching know-how.

I have come to know both pretty well over the years they have been involved as BBC pundits and have always found them to be among the most interesting to listen to in terms of their tactical insight into games.

Both are deep thinkers about the game and their acumen will be hugely important to Ferguson, whose own coaching credentials pale in significance next to his figurehead status as a top-class player for the club.

While his appointment has not been universally popular among supporters, every single one will hope he can make a success of this stint in charge, perhaps clawing back a few points on Celtic, giving the fans a style of football they can get behind and, who knows, maybe put himself in contention for the job on a full-time basis.

With takeover talks continuing in the background, a period of transition is under way once more.

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• Kilmarnock have won six of their last 10 home league games against Rangers (L4), as many as their previous 54 beforehand (W6 D16 L32).

• Since the start of 2020-21, Rangers have won 10 of their 12 league games against Kilmarnock, the most Scottish Premiership wins any side has earned over Killie in this time.

• Kilmarnock have won five of their last seven home league games (D1 L1), as many as their previous 15 beforehand (W5 D6 L4).

• After only winning three of their first 11 away league games of 2024-25 (D4 L4), Rangers have since won both of their last two on the road, 3-1 wins at Dundee United and Hearts. Not since February 2024 have they won more in a row on their travels (four).

• Having only won two of his 15 home games as a manager against Rangers in all competitions in charge of St Johnstone (one win in five) and Aberdeen (one win in 10), Derek McInnes has since won two of his four at home against them as Kilmarnock boss (L2).

We asked for your views on Philippe Clement's sacking and the appointment of Barry Ferguson as interim Rangers manager.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Ferguson

John: Barry Ferguson would run through a brick wall for Rangers for free, half of this squad would think he is insane, they will never understand his mindset and never will - it's called loyalty and love for your club.

Anon: Not for me. His footballing ability was there for sure but interim manager at Rangers given his managerial career to date - an absolute joke of an appointment. Non-league to Europa League next week! The board are ultimately to blame. They've made false promises.

Ken: Just the man to give a number of players a good kick up the you know where. It is badly needed.

Anon: Appeasement written all over it! While the Rangers fans will accept it, they know this is a stop-gap until a suitable candidate is appointed.

Clement

Paul: Nine managers in 100 years since 1900 and 14 in the last 26 says it all. The fans are too quick to turn on them and we are getting the results of that. Doing the same thing time and again and expecting a different result is stupidity. We need stability and to give the manager time to build the team. We need to stop the knee-jerk reaction.

Michael: Nobody likes to see anyone lose their job but in this case his position was totally untenable. There is no way that a club with the stature of Glasgow Rangers can be allowed to become the laughing stock that it currently is. This is not just the manager's fault but deep-rooted issues that attended from above. Things must change and now!

Moray: Sadly the right call, he has reduced the wage bill but also reduced the quality of play. So many problems to fix, the 49ers money could solve some, but we need Rangers standards of old to return to success and silverware.

Nethan: He had to go, even though he's been hard done by with funds we couldn't keep him as his tactics were terrible.

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Kilmarnock welcome back Kyle Magennis after injury but captain Kyle Vassell and defender Stuart Findlay (both ankle) are still out.

Rangers were without John Souttar, Oscar Cortes, Leon Balogun, Connor Barron, Dujon Sterling and Neraysho Kasanwirjo at the weekend.

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Former Rangers striker Mark Hateley says he would have Steven Gerrard return to the Ibrox dugout "in a heartbeat". (Daily Record), external

Former Huddersfield Town, Schalke and Norwich City manager David Wagner is being considered by Rangers for after Barry Ferguson's interim spell. (GiveMeSport), external

Joe Cole has backed his former Chelsea and England teammate Ashley Cole as the permanent successor to Philippe Clement. (Daily Record), external

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Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes is aiming to ruin former team-mate Barry Ferguson's debut in the Rangers dugout, but is unsure about what to expect from the Ibrox side.

The pair played together in the Ibrox midfield in the late 1990s and McInnes acknowledged what Ferguson will bring to the role of interim manager as they prepare to go head to head on Wednesday night.

"He was a hugely talented player," McInnes said.

"When he first came through at Rangers, we were always aware of his talent. Talent doesn't get the job done at a club like Rangers. He was a fierce competitor and you need to be fiercely competitive to succeed at Rangers. He showed that.

"What he'll try and do is instil a bit of confidence through that competitive nature. That's their job. My job is to make sure we are equally as competitive and see the opportunity that is there in front of us.

"Hopefully we can be as good as we have been in recent seasons against Rangers and get the win."

While the game will be loaded with the added emotion of Ferguson's return, McInnes admitted it is hard to predict what the former Kelty Hearts, Clyde and Alloa manager will do.

"It's like any time you come up against a team who have just changed their manager, whether it's an interim or whether a manager changes. Sometimes there's some sort of reference of a preferred system," he said.

"Your preparation is still there, you analyse previous Rangers games. It becomes a bit more difficult to predict in terms of what you're going to get. The lads are only in for one day's training ahead of the game."

Kilmarnock have beaten Rangers in two of the past three meetings at Rugby Park, including a 1-0 victory earlier this season settled by Marley Watkins' late strike.

"Sometimes my job, when you player Rangers and Celtic, is you've got a lot of boys who are scarred by certain results," McInnes added. "Ultimately, when you win a game, there's a reference.

"There's a lot of positives to take from it. My job is just to reinforce the message of what can be done. If we deliver a big performance, and it'll need to be one, I believe there's a game there to be won for us."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Barry Ferguson has been speaking to the media for the first time since being appointed Rangers interim manager.

Here are the key points from the press conference:

• Ferguson was "surprised" to get the call but says it "only took five minutes" for him to agree to take charge.

• Despite his lack of top-level managerial experience, Ferguson "wouldn't be sitting here" if he didn't think he could do the job.

• He adds: "Did I want to get back into coaching and management? If I'm being brutally honest, I wasn't thinking about it, but when that phone call comes, there was no way I was going to turn it down."

• The former skipper wants to be judged at the end of the season but says: "I know I will be judged game by game. This is the nature of the beast here at Glasgow Rangers."

• He insists he has "not even thought" about the prospect of keeping the job long term and his full concentration is on beating Kilmarnock in his first game in charge on Wednesday.

• On what success would be between now and the end of the season, Ferguson says: "We have to try to be positive and win every single game. That's a big ask but I'm positive. We need positivity about the place. This needs to be a different Rangers team that turns up tomorrow night."

• He will demand "energy and desire" from the team and adds: "I was straightforward with the players. This is a brilliant place to be. You're lucky to be here. Look at the facilities, look at the stadium. I feel like it's going to be a good place to be."

• On bringing in former team-mates Neil McCann, Billy Dodds and Allan McGregor to assist him, Ferguson says: "They're bubbly about the place. They're big characters, they like to get in among the boys. I think that's important because obviously the last couple of weeks has been difficult for this group of players."

• The "door is open" for young players to get first-team opportunities: "If they're good enough, I will have no issue with playing them. I will do a lot of work to try and progress these guys as footballers."

• James Tavernier will remain captain because there is no "need to change".

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Rangers legend Barry Ferguson is back at Ibrox – but is he the right man to revive the club in the remainder of a torrid season?

Ferguson, along with fellow former players Neil McCann, Billy Dodds and Allan McGregor as well as Issame Charai, who assisted the sacked Philippe Clement, has taken interim charge until summer.

A hero as a player and skipper in a career that yielded 15 trophies with Rangers, Ferguson has never coached above League One level and has been out of work for three years since an unsuccessful spell with Alloa Athletic.

However, former Rangers defender Maurice Ross believes Ferguson, 47, can be a "lightning rod" and drive standards at a club languishing 13 points behind Premiership leaders Celtic but with a Europa League last-16 tie against Fenerbahce looming.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish football podcast, Ross said of his former team-mate's appointment: "It will give a bit of excitement, a bit of energy back into the building again.

"And it's something I did notice when I've been back at the club for the last three, four months. There was a lack of Rangers people in the building. There was a lot of suits.

"When you look at the appointment in isolation, Barry's going to be the kind of lightning rod, similar to the way that Steven Gerrard was.

"I also know Neil McCann is a very capable coach. It feels like they're going back to the people that were in the building when Rangers were successful. And that comes with behaviours, attitudes, certain standard setting."

Jordan Campbell, football reporter for The Athletic, says putting Ferguson in charge can be viewed as an "easy win" by the under-pressure Rangers board to appease fans, but notes the risk involved.

"It's an easy win in the sense it gets the fans on board again," said Campbell. "But I was surprised in terms of you look at the CV … he's never coached at this level.

"When you speak to people behind the scenes, since Gerrard left, there's been a lack of authority at the club. You think of the amount of turnover there's been, with chief executives, sporting directors, they've not even replaced some of them.

"I think Ferguson coming in gives that authority. So I think for a short-term sort of culture shock it could be effective, but also you look at the experience of them coaching wise and it is a risk because let's not pretend that being a good footballer makes a good manager."

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

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It was no surprise to hear Barry Ferguson admit that he thought his dream of becoming manager of his beloved Rangers had long since gone.

The 47-year-old has been out of football management since resigning as boss of part-time Alloa Athletic nearly exactly three years ago.

Ferguson's managerial journey started promisingly when he helped Blackpool avoid relegation from the Championship as caretaker player-manager, but it stalled when Clyde lost a promotion play-off final to Queen's Park and he left the following season with the Bully Wee sitting eighth in Scottish League 2.

He resurrected his reputation by leading Kelty Hearts to the Lowland League title then a play-off win over Brechin City that took the Fife club into the SPFL for the first time.

However, rather than seek a further promotion, he jumped up a league and moved the 19 miles along the road to Recreation Park only to resign before the end of his first term with Alloa sitting eighth in League 1.

Ferguson's Rangers role has more recently been as a club ambassador and appearances for legends teams in charity games, but now he has been thrust back into the spotlight as head coach until the summer.

Speaking on Rangers TV, publicly at least, he seemed to accept his role was merely to steady the ship until a permanent successor to Philippe Clement is chosen.

However, deep down, anyone in his position, especially someone who was so adored at Ibrox as a player, will be hoping to be such a success that he forces the board, or the potential new owners negotiating a takeover, to think again.

In former team-mates Neil McCann and Billy Dodds, he has certainly surrounded himself with assistants with more experience of managing at higher levels and is already promising changes to make Rangers more attack-minded.

Indeed, their first game in charge brings them head-to-head with another former Rangers player who has long been linked with the Ibrox job - Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes.

Ferguson will be hoping to match the 3-1 wins on Rangers' past two Premiership away days to cast off the blues that followed Saturday's defeat by St Mirren and led to Clement's departure.

Read all the Premiership picks

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Interim manager Barry Ferguson's appreciation of what it takes to make Rangers successful outweighs his managerial inexperience, says former Scotland striker Kris Boyd. (Scottish Sun - subscription required), external

Ferguson will make the club's under-performing players "feel his wrath" in an attempt to reverse recent form, according to his former teammate Kirk Broadfoot. (Daily Record), external

Philippe Clement is entitled to a seven-figure pay-off after his Rangers dismissal - "significantly higher" than £1.2m - but it remains to be seen if the Belgian boss will receive a lump sum or remain on gardening leave. (Daily Record), external

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Barry Ferguson has promised "you will see certain differences come Wednesday night" as the former Rangers captain expressed surprise at being appointed head coach until the end of the season.

The 47-year-old former Scotland midfielder will take charge for the first time when Rangers visit Kilmarnock - only three days after Philippe Clement was dismissed following a home defeat by St Mirren.

Ferguson will take training for the first time on Tuesday but promised that Rangers will be "attack-minded and aggressive in the press" from the off during his time in charge.

He returns to coaching three years after leaving Alloa Athletic, having also managed two other part-time sides - Clyde and Kelty Hearts - after his first experience as Blackpool caretaker.

"To be honest, I thought it would never come," Ferguson said of taking charge of a team for whom he has been a club ambassador. "I've been happy with what I've been doing the last two or three years.

"It was a job I couldn't turn down. It is only for three months, I know that, but it is my job to get a kick out of this group of players because, when I watched them, I think there are really good players there. They just seem a bit flat."

Ferguson expressed himself "proud" and "excited" to be asked to take charge and admitted he had only slept for about three hours while appointing a backroom team that includes former Rangers and Scotland team-mates Neil McCann, Billy Dodds and Allan McGregor.

"It came out of the blue, so it has been a whirlwind 24 hours," he said. "I had to get a backroom staff together. They were in jobs elsewhere, but we got it done quicker than expected."

Ferguson added that he and his staff would ensure that the players knew that, when playing for Rangers, "you have to win every game".

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As Barry Ferguson prepares to take charge of Rangers until the end of the season, BBC Scotland has taken a look back at some of his most memorable moments in a Rangers shirt.

First Rangers hattrick (2002)

On the one-year anniversary of Alex McLeish's appointment as Rangers manager, Ferguson netted his first hattrick in dark blue. The midfielder scored all three goals in Rangers' 3-0 victory over Dundee United to keep them top of the table with a 100% record at home.

Scottish Cup final v Celtic (2002)

Nothing cements a Rangers legend quite like and Old Firm goal, particularly when it's a goal in a Scottish Cup final.

Rangers already had the League Cup in the bag, while Celtic had clinched the league title, and there was one final chance for either side to get one over on the other.

John Hartson struck first at Hampden before Peter Lovenkrands levelled three minutes later. Bobo Balde had Celtic in front in the second half but up stepped Barry Ferguson to pull the Ibrox club back level and allow Lovenkrands to score the winner in the 90th minute.

Treble-winning season 02/03

At just 22 years old, Barry Ferguson was handed the captain's armband at Ibrox in 2000 by then-manager Dick Advocaat.

He became the club's youngest-ever captain and, having just helped them complete the league and cup double the previous season, was an integral member of a squad that went one better the following year.

The midfielder scored 16 goals as Rangers bagged the League Cup, Scottish Cup and Scottish Premiership title.

Rangers had to part ways with Philippe Clement as it was doing "more harm than good" to keep the Belgian in the Ibrox hot seat for any longer, says Rangers Review editor Joshua Barrie.

Clement had been under increased scrutiny following their Scottish Cup exit to Queen's Park, and the loss at the weekend to St Mirren proved to be the tipping point and led to the board making the decision.

Their domestic football was often sub-par, and despite a decent set of European results, they failed to break sides down in the league with many fans lamenting the style of play.

"This was a domestic template that was not working and Rangers wanted to keep Clement in place for Europe because he's done well there," Barrie said on the Scottish Football Podcast.

"I think it was getting to a point where more harm than good was being done and that's why they've made this call despite very publicly admitting that they did not want to make it before the end of the season.

"Rangers were not a team under Clement that could dominate with the ball. They were a team who could set the tempo of a game off the ball and that's why they looked good in Europe.

"But when you gave Rangers a ball, like St Mirren did at the weekend, and they're very well organised, the majority of games Rangers face and say, can you create space? Can you break us down? The answer was no, and ultimately, that's the game that Rangers play 60, 70 per cent of the time.

"There's a fundamental issue at the root of what he was trying to do, and at the root of what I think Rangers need to try and be successful domestically."

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Barry Ferguson has returned to the club where he won five league titles and 15 trophies over two spells. A homecoming for a former hero, tasked with steadying a shakey ship and seeing this season out.

Fans had been desperate to see more fight on the park, with some probably wishing they had a few Barry-Ferguson-types in the middle of the park over the last few months, if not years.

His first taste of management came in 2014 when he took charge of Blackpool after Paul Ince's dismissal, on an interim basis.

The club were teetering on the brink of relegation, and while they only won three out of 20 games under the former Scotland midfielder, they did avoid the drop by two points before he left the club.

In June of that year, he was appointed as player-manager of League Two side Clyde, with his retirement from playing coming in April of 2015. During his second spell at Clyde, he guided them to the playoffs and thumped Elgin over two legs, but lost 3-2 on aggregate as they remained in the fourth tier.

Come February 2017, he resigned, with the Bully Wee sitting eighth in Scottish League Two.

The Cumbernauld side had not won a league match since November and had lost eight of their last 10 games in the division.

His next managerial role came in 2018 when he joined Kelty Hearts and, in the 2019-20 season, they won the title after it was curtailed due to Covid-19 but were not awarded with a play-off spot to break into the SPFL due to the early finish of the campaign.

The following season, Ferguson did indeed guide them into the SPFL for the first time in their history, as they completed a 3-1 aggregate win over Brechin City to seal their place in League Two.

A short stint followed at League 1 strugglers Alloa Athletic before he resigned in 2022 after the Clackmannanshire side managed to win just two games in 15.

Ferguson's managerial record is not of the calibre that many would expect an incoming Rangers manager to have. There is no continental experience and outwith that Kelty playoff win, there is little in the way of tangible success.

However, he is loved by the fans and will be viewed as someone who understands the demands of playing for Rangers — something the board, and fans alike, will want him to quickly transfer to the current crop of players at Ibrox.

Barry Ferguson has been appointed interim Rangers manager following Philippe Clement's departure, with Neil McCann, Billy Dodds and Allan McGregor assisting the former club captain.

The ex-Rangers and Scotland team-mates' first game in the dugout will be Wednesday's Scottish Premiership trip to Kilmarnock (20:00 GMT).

Assistant manager Issame Charai led training on Monday and is also confirmed to be remaining at the club.

Rangers fans, what do you make of this move by the club in the wake of Philippe Clement's departure? Give us your thoughts here. , external