Rangers

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Interim Rangers manager Barry Ferguson has been talking to the media before the game with Aberdeen this weekend.

Here are the key points:

• On Celtic goalkeeper keeper Viljami Sinisalo having objects thrown at him during last week's derby at Ibrox, Ferguson says: "You don't want to see things like that, and the club are obviously going to take action."

• He hopes it won't affect away supporters being back at Old Firm derbies: "It's been brilliant having my own fans at the games and getting behind the team. So the last thing we want to see is fans not being allowed in."

• No updates on Ferguson's future and he's had "no involvement of what he would do" as the club looks to next season. He's trying to stay professional, prepare the team as best he can, and "not sit in a corner and cry".

• Ferguson admits it's hard on him and the players not knowing where his future lies, but reiterates a decision must be made soon and that there's a lot of work to be done for next season.

• He believes it is possible to rebuild Rangers into a competitive force in one transfer window: "Celtic and other teams have done it. In an ideal world a manager wants time to change things."

• Seven games without a win at Ibrox is "far too long" and the players "understand what has to be done on Sunday" against Aberdeen. Trying to win is personal motivation for him and the players.

• Ianis Hagi is out for the rest of the season. Robin Propper has been training all week so might be in contention.

Rangers and Aberdeen meet at Ibrox this weekend, 34 years to the day since the teams went to head for the title.

The Dons required just a draw to win the league, but failed to convert early chances and were made to pay as Rangers triumphed 2-0 thanks to a Mark Hateley double.

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Reports in Turkey say Vaclav Cerny, on loan at Rangers from Wolfsburg, is on a three-man shortlist for Besiktas, who want to sign two wingers. (Daily Record), external

Red Star Belgrade left-back Ebenezer Annan, linked with Rangers last month, is being tracked by Dutch club Feyenoord. (Scottish Sun), external

Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl, linked with Rangers, suggests he is likely to be returning to Germany for a Bundesliga job. (Kicker via Glasgow Times, external)

Southampton are favourites to land Rangers-linked Rohl as they bid to bounce back to the Premier League next season. (Daily Record), external

Rangers have outlined their proposal for "formal approval" in relation to future tifo displays at Ibrox after condemning an "unacceptable" banner on display at the Old Firm derby. (The Herald, external - subscription)

Friday's Scottish gossip

We asked for your views on which out-of-contract players Rangers should keep this summer.

Here's what some of you said:

Murray: Neraysho Kasanwirjo, I would take on a loan with option to buy. Let all the out-of-contract guys go. The only player I would 100% keep is Nico Raskin. John Souttar can go, or keep him as a back-up defender.

Rhys: I'd keep Leon Balogun as he's been brilliant all season. Let Tom Lawrence and Ianis Hagi go as they're too injury prone. Don't sign Kasanwirjo as he's hardly had a start in months.

Allan: For me, all three out-of-contract players should leave. Balogun was used due to lack of decent centre-backs and although he has been a great servant to the club, he is getting old. Lawrence and Hagi struggled to get in the starting XI, I am sure better players can be brought in. Vaclav Cerny could come permanently and another loan period for Kasanwirjo may be better, as his injury history is not good, if fully fit, he is an asset to the team.

Finlay: We need to keep Hagi and Balogun, even if It means reduced wages, as they show their strengths everywhere every time. If we are keeping inconsistent players like Robin Propper, it tells us how much they underestimate the league. Cerny needs to be signed, he has been our icon of the season.

Oli: Keep James Tavernier at all costs and I would probably also keep Hagi because he's still a creative player and Rangers this season have lacked creativity.

William: Although hampered by injuries, I would keep Lawrence. Why? He has a good football brain and reads the game, he just needs a period of play so that others will know where to be for a pass. Keep Balogun, we owe him another year.

Bill: Cerny was decent and Hagi has potential. It's about attitude. Do they want to play for the club? Priority is getting the right manager, a solid recruitment strategy, and keeping Raskin.

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• Rangers have lost just one of their past 13 home games against Aberdeen in all competitions (W10 D2), winning their last three in a row since a 3-1 reverse in September 2023.

• The past eight league matches between Rangers and Aberdeen have an even head-to-head record: three wins each, two draws, and 11 goals each.

• Rangers are winless in their past seven home games in all competitions (D2 L5), their longest ever run without a home win.

• Since winning their opening three away league outings of this season, Aberdeen have only won two of their past 14 on the road (D4 L8).

• Cyriel Dessers has scored in Rangers' past two league games, and could score in three successive Scottish Premiership appearances for the first time. With 10 home league goals last season and nine this, Dessers could become only the third player to reach double figures for home goals in both of his first two Scottish Premiership seasons since the competition's rebrand in 2013, after Louis Moult (2015-16 & 2016-17) and Bojan Miovski (2022-23 and 2023-24).

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Goalkeeper Jack Butland would have plenty suitors should he opt to leave Rangers in the summer, says former Ibrox defender Richard Foster. (Daily Record), external

The new Rangers manager must grasp the pressure, demands and expectations of being in charge of the club, says former midfielder Ryan Jack. (Daily Record), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

With Rangers' season effectively over after a disappointing campaign, attentions at Ibrox will be turning to next term.

A potential takeover is in the works and a permanent manager needs to be hired, but there are also some notable first-team players with deals expiring.

Leon Balogun, Ianis Hagi and Tom Lawrence are all out of contract in the summer, while Vaclav Cerny is set to return to Wolfsburg when his loan ends.

The Ibrox club also have an option to buy on-loan Feyenoord defender Neraysho Kasanwirjo, who impressed earlier this season and is just back from a long-term injury.

We want your views on who Rangers should keep or let go - have your say.

Alasdair Lamont
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

Rangers' involvement in the Champions League qualifiers begins 11 weeks from now and as Barry Ferguson noted in the aftermath of Sunday's draw with Celtic, there is much to be done at the club to prepare them for those.

With three games to come next week to conclude a largely wretched season (some impressive European performances and results notwithstanding), Rangers fans will hope the much-vaunted takeover is concluded and announced swiftly thereafter.

One would think that those involved would already have a plan in place regarding a permanent manager to lead the club, perhaps someone who has already been having conversations with incoming sporting director Kevin Thelwell, technical director Nils Koppen and chief executive Patrick Stewart about the make-up of next season's squad.

It seems inevitable there will be a high degree of activity both in and out in that regard, but Rangers will once again face the prospect of trying to move on players for a decent fee who have largely underachieved.

There has been a great deal of talk about moving to a transfer policy where they buy low and sell high, but short of cashing in on Nico Raskin and perhaps Hamza Igamane, few of the current squad will be worth more now than when they arrived.

There will also be departures for free – Ianis Hagi and Tom Lawrence are among those out of contract and so while there will be a saving on their wages, the fact Rangers will not receive a fee is another damning indictment of the way business has been conducted.

Sure, there will be fresh investment, but financial fair play rules and the swingeing losses incurred at Ibrox in recent years mean they will be unable to throw ridiculous amounts of money around in the next transfer window.

All that said, the takeover – if and when it happens – does allow Rangers supporters to believe that maybe they will be celebrating title number 56 this time next year rather than their rivals across the city.

Rangers manager Barry Ferguson says Oscar Cortes and Danilo need to do more to get more first team minutes. (Herald - subscription required), external

Ex-Ibrox forward Peter Lovenkrands would not expect Rangers' prospective new owners to spend big straight away, should they complete their expected takeover this summer. (Record), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

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"People have got opinions, but I know I can do the job."

Interim manager Barry Ferguson still has belief he can lead Rangers into next season, but is the damage to his hopes beyond repair?

Sunday's Old Firm draw with Celtic means Ferguson has taken four points from two games against the Scottish champions, which certainly favours the former Ibrox captain.

So, too, does the Europa League last-16 triumph over Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce. But, away from that, Ferguson's reign has been far from convincing.

Across 12 matches in charge following the exit of Philippe Clement, Rangers have won just four times, lost four and also drawn four.

They have conceded at least two goals in nine of those fixtures, shipping 21 overall and scoring 20. There has been just one clean sheet.

Currently, they are also without a victory since the end of March and are on a six-game winless run.

With their final three fixtures of the season coming against Europe-chasing Aberdeen, Dundee United and Hibernian, improving that form won't be easy.

Ferguson is also yet to lead Rangers to a home victory, having failed to win five games at Ibrox, with Sunday's draw meaning the Govan club set an wanted club record of seven straight winless home games.

While the caretaker boss has shown he is capable of getting big results in big games, the doubts that remain over his ability to lead the team in fixtures where there is expectancy on the side may weigh too heavily.

Jamie Currie
Fan writer

Let's start with the positives from Sunday, shall we?

Rangers were very good for 45 minutes and scored a lovely goal on the transition. In fact, you could argue we could have gone in further ahead as we hit the bar from a Leon Balogun header.

In the midfield, Nico Raskin and Mo Diomande were excellent. And, as poor as this Rangers team is, it can certainly hold its own against this Celtic side, who will no doubt go on and win the treble. It's hardly a positive but with the season being as bad as it has been, I'm reaching.

The negatives, of course, were not winning at home again, a mistake for Adam Idah's goal from John Souttar, and the fact every change Barry Ferguson made seemed to disrupt the side in the second half.

We just couldn't get going after the break and allowed Celtic to take control.

Overall the game was all about effort and endeavour without any real quality from both sides. And I'll say it again, it's one match closer to the final whistle at Easter Road on 17 May.

The only question remaining this season is: will Ferguson win at Ibrox as Rangers manager? There are two games left for him to try to achieve that.

It would be nice for him to win both, starting with the visit of Aberdeen on Sunday, and for Rangers to go away in the summer and put this season well behind them.

From my perspective, it's been like a season of death by 1,000 cuts. Hopefully soon we will get confirmation of the takeover and a new manager to bring in the new era.

Rangers and Leeds United are linked with a bid for Mali winger Moussa Djenepo, with the 26-year-old currently on loan at Turkish club Antalyaspor from Standard Liege in Belgium. (Africa Foot, external - in French), external

Read the rest of Tuesday's Scottish Gossip

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"I think if two years ago, the day I signed, you would tell the fans, 'this striker is going to score 47 goals in two seasons', I think everybody would have said, 'oh, yes, please'."

Cyriel Dessers hasn't always felt that love, though.

Despite racking up the goals across the past two years, the striker has been much maligned by sections of the Rangers support.

Fresh from opening the scoring at Ibrox in the last Old Firm derby of the campaign with his 25th goal of the season, the forward says he has "moved past" being irked by criticism from fans.

"It hurt me a lot in the beginning," he recalled. "But now I have kind of moved past that and I'm just focusing on myself and helping the team out.

"In a team with a lot of ups and downs, to score 25 goals, I think that's a good achievement and I'm proud of that."

Dessers said seeing long-serving captain James Tavernier continue to be heavily criticised has helped him accept he will always struggle to win over sections of the club's fanbase.

"There was a point where I wished I could turn [the negative perception] around," he added.

"But when I see the criticism somebody like Tav sometimes gets with the things he achieved at this club, then I think it's always going to be there, which is okay.

"It's part of being at a big club like Rangers. You can feel the hurt in the fans and they always want more and better, but that's also what we want as players.

"I know it's not always easy, but we all want to go in the same direction together with the fans."

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Rangers were denied a third straight victory over Celtic in Sunday's Old Firm draw, but it was nearly a defeat for Barry Ferguson's side as a late save was required to deny the relentless Daizen Maeda.

For that reason, Rangers shotstopper Liam Kelly is in my team of the week. Denying Maeda at the death was one of a few telling saves he made.

There's also a spot for Nico Raskin, who has an almost Steven Naismith-esque ability to be a real threat in the air despite not being the tallest.

The midfielder was unfortunate to be offside as his early effort hit the back of the net. Rangers' best player in the Old Firm derby.

We asked for your views on Rangers' Old Firm draw with Celtic.

Here's what some of you said:

Michael: Number one priority this summer is tying Nicolas Raskin down to a long-term deal. Head and shoulders above everyone else on Sunday and a constant bright light in an otherwise shocker of a season. Number two priority would be to teach certain defenders to clear their lines first and think second (John Souttar). Bring on this takeover and let's begin this monumental rebuild, a lot of deadwood/imposters in the squad needing moved on.

Fraser: For me it was a game of two halves, we let Celtic dominate the second half. Raskin was outstanding and Leon Balogun was solid in defence, and Cyriel Dessers finally scored against Celtic. I don't know if Barry Ferguson can attract the quality of player that Rangers need. For me it has to be Jose Mourinho.

Barry: Have to move on. Ferguson should be a coach or even assistant but can't seriously consider him for the job. Woefully short of quality. Sell Ridvan Yilmaz, Robin Propper, Jefte, Nedim Bajrami, Dessers, Igamane, Raskin and get some quality in. The only quality these guys have is market value for the next wave. Woeful. Turn up for every Old firm game and European fixtures but can't beat Hibs, St Mirren, Aberdeen etc.

Stephen: Failure to kill them off cost us dear. As for giving Ferguson the job full time? No.

Kevin: Dominated the first half and should have been at least two goals up. Gave away a soft goal but still had the better chances. Showed we can go toe to toe with them but need to get rid of the deadwood and hopefully we can get the takeover done ASAP. Not as big a gap with as people think.

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• Rangers have failed to win in their last four games in the Premiership, their last joint longest winless streak was from 1 February 2017 to 24 February 2017.

• Celtic have scored in 32 of their 35 games, more often than any other team in the Scottish Premiership.

• Daizen Maeda has contributed to goals in his last three games in the Premiership (one goal, three assists).

• Maeda has also now assisted 10 goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), more than any other player.

• Cyriel Dessers has scored 14 goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), more than any other Rangers player.

• Mohammed Diomande has assisted seven goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no Rangers player has more.