Barry Ferguson admits he feared for Rangers’ future under new ownership but now believes chairman Andrew Cavenagh has proven he “gets it”.
The former skipper and coach revealed he had doubts 12 months ago as the 49ers-backed takeover loomed.
“Let’s just say… there was always a worry in the back of my head about the direction the club was about to head in,” Ferguson said. “I was excited because things needed to change but I wasn’t sure the new owners understood the full scale of what they were taking on.” [Daily Record]
Ferguson questioned whether Rangers risked becoming “a hobby for a rich owner”, adding: “It couldn’t work if the club was going to be treated like a plaything.”
But despite a trophyless first season, his view has shifted. “Now, one year on, I am more confident than ever that my club is in exactly the right hands,” he said.
Ferguson believes Cavenagh has quickly learned from early missteps. “What I heard were the words of a man who has learned a lot of lessons over a very short space of time,” he said. “If he thought it was going to be easy, he clearly knows better now.”
Read more
-
Bailey Rice Rangers contract latest after European move links
-
Rangers continue talks with World Cup bound star ahead of Danny Rohl summer moves
-
Rangers midfielder named alongside Premier League superstars in World Cup squad
He added: “Running Rangers requires a hands-on, 24/7 approach and I believe that’s what he plans to do.”
Cavenagh’s visibility has also impressed. “It heartens me that he’s in and around the place,” Ferguson said. “No nonsense. No excuses. Winning nothing is not acceptable and the buck stops with him.”
“This is more than a hobby now. It’s an obsession.”
Ferguson is also encouraged by the chairman’s transfer plans. “He wants players who understand what it means to wear the shirt, players who can stand up when the pressure is on,” he said.
Using Andreas Skov Olsen as an example, Ferguson added: “Not everyone is cut out to be a Rangers player… sometimes it’s more about what’s in the heart and in the head.”
And he believes the key lesson has been learned. “He’s realised the team needs the right balance between talent and character,” Ferguson said. “He’s been brutally honest. Failing to win trophies cannot be accepted.
“He said all the right words. Now it’s time to get to work.”
