MusaBarry Ferguson was brought in to stabilize the situation when he took over as Rangers manager last month, but there’s a possibility he could remain in the role beyond this season.
The Rangers legend’s appointment came as a surprise to many following the dismissal of Philippe Clement at Ibrox. Ferguson has managed only three clubs permanently in his career—Clyde, Kelty Hearts, and Alloa Athletic—with his most recent stint ending in February 2022.
While many view Ferguson as a temporary solution until a permanent manager is appointed, with names like Jose Mourinho being linked to the role, his brother Derek Ferguson has provided insight into Barry’s ambitions.
Barry Ferguson wants to stay on as Rangers manager:
Ferguson has overseen three matches as caretaker manager so far, winning two and losing one. The standout result was the impressive 3-1 victory away at Fenerbahce last week. This performance certainly bolstered his chances of securing the job permanently, especially after a disappointing defeat to Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.
Derek Ferguson has exclusively told Ibrox News that his younger brother is eager to remain in charge beyond this summer, though he acknowledges that results will ultimately determine his fate.
“He was already there in an ambassador role so he knows the ins and outs at the club,” Derek said. “It was a case of him getting the right people beside him.
“Neil McCann and Billy Dodds are good appointments as well. He looks comfortable in the job, especially when dealing with the press. He looks the part and I think it’s a no-brainer for him to take it.
“The way that will happen is by getting results. The result against Fenerbahce was marvellous, brilliant. But you’ve got to remember that has been the case for Rangers this season – they’ve been excellent in Europe.
“What Barry’s got to do from now until the summer is win every game. If he does that he’ll get the job. That means beating Celtic at Celtic Park, which is a big ask.
“But on the basis of the Fenerbahce performance, the players are capable of that. I’m not surprised he wants to job full-time.”
Club Period Win percentage
Clyde June 2014 – February 2017 38.3
Kelty Hearts October 2018 – May 2021 65.7
Alloa Athletic May 2021 – February 2022 27.3
Rangers February 2024 – Current 66.7
Barry Ferguson’s managerial record
Derek added: “I said to him, and this is going back a bit, I couldn’t fathom why he worked with part-time clubs in Scotland.
“The Clyde one was fair enough, getting your foot through the door, but some of the full-time teams in Scotland were willing to take Barry on but for whatever reason he didn’t want to go down that route.
“This is a different kettle of fish now. I took him to Rangers as a boy. The club is ingrained in him. There’s only one conclusion: He wants the job but will need to win games.”
Rangers face huge showdown with Fenerbahce:
Ferguson has another significant challenge ahead on Thursday (13 March) as Rangers host Fenerbahce at Ibrox for the return leg of their last-16 tie. Despite holding a two-goal advantage, nothing can be taken for granted against Jose Mourinho’s side.
It goes without saying that if Ferguson leads Rangers to a deep run in this season’s Europa League, the job will likely be his. However, the focus remains on taking it one game at a time, with all attention now on securing the result against Fenerbahce.
Musa
