Barry Ferguson raring to get started as Rangers interim boss ...

By PA Sport Staff

Former Rangers captain Barry Ferguson has reflected on “a whirlwind 24 hours” after being placed in charge of first-team affairs until the end of the season following Philippe Clement’s sacking.

Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat to St Mirren proved to be the final straw for Clement, with the club announcing the Belgian’s departure on Sunday night after 16 months at the helm.

The surprise loss left second-placed Rangers 13 points behind Old Firm rivals Celtic in the William Hill Premiership and came after a damaging Scottish Cup reverse to minnows Queen’s Park on February 9th.

Ex-Scotland midfielder Ferguson won five league titles, five Scottish Cups and five League Cups across two spells at Ibrox.

“If I am being honest, it came out of the blue, so it has been a whirlwind 24 hours, but I am just happy to get it done, get my staff together, get to the training ground and get going,” Ferguson told Rangers TV.

“I had to be respectful that my backroom staff were in jobs elsewhere, so we had to get all this sorted. Thankfully, the guys worked hard, and so did the chief executive and the chairman, and we got it done quicker than expected.

“When I was asked about this job, it was one I couldn’t turn down. Albeit it is only for three months, but it is my job to go and get a kick out of this group of players.

 

Assessing Rangers this season, Ferguson added: “In terms of Europe, some of the performances have been top class, but domestically, that is your bread and butter, that is where you have got to win most weeks.

“You are always going to have a bump in the road, but I think there have been too many bumps in the road, so it is my job as a manager and the staff’s job to try and get a level of consistency in the squad.

“There are definitely quality players, and they look a good group, they just look a bit flat at this moment in time and it is our job to try and get this confidence back up.

“It is all about winning at Rangers. That is how I was brought up, and that is the way I want my players to be.

“You have to win every game with the demands and the expectation put on you here. When people come to watch, they expect you to win games, and I don’t think we have won enough this year.”

On Clement’s departure, chief executive Patrick Stewart told Rangers’ website: “Philippe and his team have worked tirelessly during their time at the club and have played an important role in developing the first team’s young players.

“I want to reiterate, the issues we are facing run deeper than the manager. The ongoing football review seeks to address those issues and we will continue to implement its findings in the coming weeks and months ahead of appointing a new, permanent manager.

“Ultimately, the team’s response following their early exit from the Scottish Cup was a cause for deep concern, leading the board to conclude that action had to be taken now.”

Alex Rae, Colin Stewart and Stephan van der Heyden followed Clement out of the door.

Clement succeeded Michael Beale in October 2023 and led Rangers to the League Cup two months after his appointment.

The former Club Brugge and Monaco boss also briefly hauled them into title contention last season, but they eventually finished eight points adrift of Celtic and he was never able to recapture the promising form of his early months in the job.

Although he led the Light Blues to the last 16 of the Europa League, where they will face Fenerbahce next month, the 50-year-old vacated his position at Ibrox with the club set to end the season without a domestic trophy.