RANGERS HAVE PLACED former captain Barry Ferguson 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 9.
Ex-Scotland midfielder Ferguson won five league titles, five Scottish Cups and five League Cups across two spells at Ibrox.
The 47-year-old, who has previous managerial experience at Clyde, Kelty Hearts and Alloa, will be joined by coaches Issame Charai, Neil McCann, Billy Dodds and Allan McGregor.
Chief executive Patrick Stewart told Rangers’ official 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.
“When I spoke to RangersTV last week, I was clear that everyone is judged on results and nobody will get unlimited time in any role at the club.
“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.
“I want to wish Philippe every success in the future. He is a fine man whom I have enjoyed working with in my short time here so far.
“I also want to welcome Barry back to the club. We appreciate him and his team stepping into the role at this difficult time. Myself, the board and the executive team will give them our full support for the rest of the campaign.”
Alex Rae, Colin Stewart and Stephan van der Heyden have also 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 vacates his position at Ibrox with the club set to end the season without a domestic trophy.
Rangers have struggled badly on their travels this term, winning only five of their 13 away matches in the Premiership, but their relatively strong home form at least kept them clear of the pack in second place.
The likes of former boss Steven Gerrard, ex-Everton manager Sean Dyche and Derek McInnes, currently in charge at Kilmarnock, have been linked with the vacancy at Rangers, who are in talks about a multi-million pound investment by a United States-led consortium which includes Paraag Marathe, president of 49ers Enterprises.
And this my friends……..
@Ray Ridge: Gave you a thumbs up Ray, cos I get a bit of craic outta you.
Anyway, if Liverpool win tomorrow, one more win very likely do it.
@ecrowley ecrowley: if only equalling arsenal’s results till they run out of games,so be it, tomorrow and next weekend the handiest of what’s left,two wins and I might lay of the anxiety tablets.
@Deano74: Ah it’s defo done pal, but I’d like it confirmed sooner than later.
@ecrowley ecrowley: I know,it’s like waiting on a bus,you know it’s coming,but you just want it here.
@Deano74: exactamundo
@ecrowley ecrowley: hope Ray doesn’t support Liverpool!?
@Deano74: Can you give them to me
@Tom Murphy: Arsenal fan i think
@Ray Ridge: friends???
@ecrowley ecrowley: Tbh I don’t Liverpool need to win another game in order to lift the trophy.
@SEAN: You’re a great friend of mine Seanie.
If Arsenal wet themselves against Madrid Wednesday night it won’t surprise me one bit.
The league is done and everyone knows it. Liverpool probably don’t even need another point the way Arsenal are going.
Main thing, no injuries ahead of the Madrid game. Pity they couldn’t rest more but it is what it is. Hopefully they played within themselves and are primed for Wednesday.
Hopefully Mbappe can do an Origi on them next Wednesday!
@Dan The Man: Hope arsenal go through
Hardly a slip up in fairness…..
@Paul Linehan: in the context of the title race of course it is. If Liverpool fail to capitalise on it tomorrow that’s an even bigger slip up
@Michael Mullins: what title race? It’s done since end of march.
@Paul Mallon: grand for us to say that here. Doubt that’s what Arteta is telling them before matches
@Michael Mullins: I’m sure Arsenal have a more realistic target in mind to be bothered by something they blew a long time ago.
Looked as of though the exertions against Real the other night caught up with Arsenal not only physically but mentally and emotionally too. Here’s hoping that they can raise their game again next week in bernabau otherwise they be in for one long long night
@Jed Ward: arsenal score in the 90 mins and it’s well done,at 3 nil it should be,but I seem to vaguely remember a certain side overcome a 3 nil against another Spanish heavy weight,best of luck anyway,enjoy.
@Jed Ward: Arsenal will go through
@SEAN: €1,000 says Real will go through
If Arsenal want CL trophy they’ll have to rest their first 11 regularly now come PL games as pathway to that trophy is probably PSG in semi and most probably Barcelona in the final. Gunners won’t half deserve trophy if they can put out Madrid and also those teams.
Same old arsenal
How poor are this Arsenal side
@james quinn: Apparently Arsenal have spent 1.4 billion since 2017. Klopp lifted how many trophies with about 1/30th of that budget and assisted Slot with another!
@Dan The Man: Yep. With City in a title race, Liverpool were winning nearly every game after xmas and twice came up 1 point short getting the likes of 97 points. With Arsenal u just know they can’t put a string of wins together. They needn’t use Europe as an excuse. Klopp won a Champions League and still got close to 100 points. Levels to this game.
@james quinn: Still poor enough to beat the champions league winner 3 zip
@Dan The Man: klopps net spend was roughly just shy of 350 million,in 9 years, Artetas net spend is roughly 540 million in five years.