Rangers line up ‘star-studded appointment’ as new manager instead of Ferguson

Andy Halliday has outlined what Barry Ferguson will have to achieve if he’s to be appointed as the permanent Rangers manager.

Ferguson has put a steady hand on the tiller at Ibrox since replacing Philippe Clement in the dugout, and is suddenly riding the rest of a wave after back-to-back away victories over Fenerbahce and Celtic.

Rangers beating Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce on penalties after a 3-1 first-leg victory and 2-0 loss at Ibrox leaves them in the last eight of the Europa League, as well as sealing back-to-back Old Firm wins.

Those seismic victories have helped to keep the Gers’ season alive as they prepare for a quarter-final with Athletic Bilbao, and have also raised the question of Ferguson being given the job permanently.

Andy Halliday urges Ferguson to prove Rangers bosses wrong

Ferguson’s appointment on an interim basis is expected to get the Bears through to the end of a season which has been nothing short of a disaster domestically, green shoots have emerged during his tenure.

Date Competition Result

26 February Premiership Kilmarnock 2-4 Rangers

1 March Premiership Rangers 1-2 Motherwell

6 March Europa League Fenerbahce 1-3 Rangers

13 March Europa League Rangers 0-2 Fenerbahce (won 3-2 on penalties)

16 March Premiership Celtic 2-3 Rangers

Barry Ferguson has tasted victory in four of his five Rangers matches so far

Speaking on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard (17 March), Andy Halliday wasn’t optimistic that Ferguson could secure the job permanently, but argued that he could still change that mindset before season’s end.

Halliday said: “As it stands right now, I don’t think Barry Ferguson will get the job; just because [of the] new investors – I think they’ll look for a star-studded appointment.

“Ferguson, 100 per cent, will have an eye on getting the job permanently, so what he has to do in this three-month period is bulk up his CV as best as he possibly can.