Rangers Football Club has seen its fair share of highs and lows in recent years.

From European nights to bitter domestic defeats, the club’s managerial decisions have often been a topic of discussion among fans in recent years. After a turbulent period in management, which started as caretaker at Blackpool in 2014, player/manager at Clyde, manager at Kelty Hearts and his last job in management at Alloa Athletic which only lasted a short time from June 2021 to February 2022, the appointment of Barry Ferguson as interim manager on 24th February 2025 was a dream come true for me as Barry Ferguson is my favourite ever Rangers player. To have Neil McCann, Billy Dodds and Allan McGregor join his management team was brilliant too as they knew the club inside out also joined by Issame Charai who was assistant to Phillipe Clement who the players already knew and worked with. Although since Barry was appointed we have lost 3 of the 5 home games in a row which has never happened before in Rangers history, I think it’s even more reason for him to be appointed permanent manager in the summer. Here’s why Barry Ferguson should be given the reins on a permanent basis.

A True Rangers Man Through and Through

One of the most compelling reasons Barry Ferguson should be given the permanent role as Rangers manager is his deep-rooted connection to the club. Ferguson is not just any former player, he’s a player who spent the majority of his career at Rangers, making 431 appearances, scoring 60 goals, lifting 5 League titles, 5 League Cups and 5 Scottish Cups, contested a Europa League final and is also a hall of famer who epitomises what a great Ranger is all about. As a captain, he was the heartbeat of the team, always leading by example both on and off the field and although he left under a cloud after the league and cup double in 2008/2009, he is one of us; a Ranger through and through who knows the standards and expectations of our football club and doesn’t expect standards to be any different as a manager.

His understanding of the club’s culture, its passionate fanbase, and its expectations sets him apart from any other candidate. Rangers need a manager who truly gets what it means to wear the club’s badge, and Ferguson undoubtedly does. He embodies the club’s values of loyalty, hard work, and dedication, something the fans value immensely. Appointing a manager with this level of commitment and affinity for the club would send a message of stability and continuity, which the team so desperately needs at this point. Since Steven Gerrard left in November 2021 we have appointed 3 different managers who seemed like good intelligent coaches but who couldn’t get the players to understand what playing for Rangers is all about. I have no doubt we have good players playing for us at the moment but it takes more than just being a good player to succeed at Rangers and sadly some just don’t have what it takes as proven by our inconsistent season in which we have beaten our rivals Celtic twice but currently find ourselves miles behind in a title race which is utterly embarrassing and unacceptable for our club. European runs are great and it’s nice to get plaudits for our European performances which has carried the coefficient of the country since 2018 but domestic success and a level of sustained domestic dominance is our bread and butter and something we need to get back to. Hopefully the imminent takeover by the 49ers Group can help bring us back to a level to compete with Celtic for titles and cups and build a winning mentality which has been severely lacking in recent years.

Ferguson’s Knowledge of Scottish Football

Rangers and Scottish Football in general require managers who are well-versed in the intricacies of the domestic league. With a deep knowledge of the Scottish Premiership, Ferguson has the advantage of understanding its pace, challenges, and key players. His time at the club allowed him to play against many of the league’s top sides, and he will have closely observed the changes that have occurred since he hung up his boots.

As an interim manager, Ferguson has shown that he knows how to adapt his tactical approach to suit the challenges of Scottish football which has seen him go from a 433 to a 352 formation which definitely worked against Fenerbache and Celtic but he wants his team to be flexible depending on the opposition which is definitely a positive rather than playing the same way no matter what. He understands the pressures of managing at a club of Rangers stature, particularly when it comes to securing dominance domestically and his experience as both a player and a coach in the Scottish leagues means he has a level of insight that would benefit Rangers moving forward.

Proven Leadership Skills

Throughout his career, Barry Ferguson has demonstrated leadership qualities that would serve him well in the managers role. Whether it was lifting the league titles with Rangers or leading the national team as captain, Ferguson always stepped up when his team needed him and his ability to galvanise teammates and motivate them is well-documented and in a few moments has transferred over to his managerial career especially at Rangers in his 7 games in charge so far; even if we know this team has a tendency to play when it suits in bigger games.

Success in His Interim Role

Barry Ferguson’s interim spell has already shown signs of promise, The team has demonstrated more organisation, tactical discipline, and attacking intent under his guidance. Although it is still early days, the positive signs suggest that he’s already having an impact on the squad. Occasionally in some moments they have fallen into bad habits again but more time for the manager would surely help address that - on the training field and in the transfer market.

A Tactical Approach Built for Success

Barry Ferguson has already shown that he has the tactical acumen required to manage Rangers. While some might initially see him as someone with a ‘Rangers’ mentality rather than a coach with technical prowess, his tactical awareness has been evident since taking over as interim manager. He has proven that he can set the team up to play attacking football. Defensive frailties still exist but Ferguson has managed to turnaround deficits in several games now.

His tactical flexibility, which has allowed him to adjust to the strengths and weaknesses of his opponents has been a breath of fresh air for many fans. It’s clear that Ferguson’s focus is not just about playing to the strengths of the team but also adapting his strategies to ensure the best possible results. This kind of adaptability is crucial for any manager who wants to bring success to a club like Rangers.

Conclusion

One of the most important aspects of any managerial appointment at Rangers is fan support, and in the case of Barry Ferguson, it’s clear the majority of the fans were fully behind the appointment and seen it as short term only. Names are still being linked in the media such as Rafa Benitez, Russell Martin and Jose Mourinho who are interesting names to be linked with but so was Paul Le Guen nearly 20 years ago and look how that turned out. Yes Ferguson's CV in management isn't yet impressive but he’s one of us, he’s a bluenose through and through which is something we haven’t had since Walter Smith was in charge. In no way am I comparing the two as Walter is the greatest modern day manager we have had but he was a fan on the touchline who drummed it into players that putting yourself second behind the club was the only time second was acceptable and these values have been lost in recent years.

Although not a managerial name which is glamorous in terms of world football Barry Ferguson is a bona fide Rangers icon and he knows the club inside out as do his management team who have our club's best interest at heart and thrive on the expectations. Many of our current squad are lucky enough to be in the same room as these guys as they couldn’t lace their boots and aren’t fit to wear the jersey. After years of managerial instability, it’s time for Rangers to give Barry Ferguson the chance to build something exciting, successful and that we are all proud of. I for one would love my Rangers hero to get the job permanently and only time will tell if that will happen. However, as we know with all things Rangers expect the unexpected.