Barry Ferguson has been appointed interim Rangers manager until the end of the season following Philippe Clement’s departure, with Neil McCann, Billy Dodds, and Allan McGregor assisting the former club captain.
The ex-Rangers and Scotland teammates’ first game in the dugout will be Wednesday’s Scottish Premiership trip to Kilmarnock (20:00 GMT).
Assistant manager Issame Charai led training on Monday, but coaches Alex Rae, Colin Stewart, and Stephan van der Heyden have also now departed Ibrox. Clement left the Glasgow club on Sunday, a day after a 2-0 home defeat by St Mirren left Rangers 13 points behind league leaders Celtic.
However, as Patrick Stewart welcomed Ferguson back to the club, Rangers’ chief executive again stressed that “the issues we are facing run deeper than the manager.”
Stewart had said as much last week after backing Clement following Rangers’ shock Scottish Cup home defeat by second-tier Queen’s Park. Although the team responded with a win against Heart of Midlothian, back-to-back losses at Ibrox sealed the Belgian’s fate.
“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,” Stewart said.
“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.”
Stewart also wished Clement success in the future, describing him as “a fine man.” The managerial change comes as Rangers continue an “ongoing football review” aimed at addressing the broader issues Stewart has identified within the club. This coincides with takeover discussions with the investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers, which are expected to be finalized between April and June.
Ferguson, who has previously managed Clyde, Kelty Hearts, and Alloa Athletic, recently shared his thoughts on the potential takeover by 49ers Enterprises. He expressed optimism about the investors’ ability to steer Rangers in the right direction, while also making a pointed remark about Celtic.
Ferguson said: “If the right people put the right plan in place to return the club to No.1 spot in Scottish football, the opportunities are massive. And I’m pretty sure that’ll be the motivation behind this potential buyout. Which can only be good news for Rangers.
“If this deal goes through then the first priority will be to win back the domestic title because that’s what the whole business model will be based on. If any investor wants to maximise their returns, it means getting into the Champions League. And that means knocking Celtic off their perch.
“That’s certainly music to my ears and I’m pretty sure almost all my fellow fans out there will be feeling the same way.”
Ferguson, 47, will now focus on his interim role, supported by McCann, 50, who has managed Dundee and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, and Dodds, 56, who previously managed Inverness after serving as Ross County’s assistant. Goalkeeper McGregor, 43, a Rangers legend with two spells at the club, completes the interim coaching team.
“We appreciate him and his team stepping into the role at this difficult time,” Stewart said of Ferguson.
The former midfielder, along with winger McCann, played key roles in helping Rangers secure two domestic trebles. Ferguson himself won five league titles and 15 trophies across two spells at Ibrox. McCann collected nine winners’ medals during his playing career at Rangers, including three in the top flight, while forward Dodds won each of Scotland’s major domestic honors once with the club.
The trio, who earned a combined 97 international caps, have recently worked as media pundits.
Rangers’ next match is at home to Motherwell on Saturday (15:00), followed by both legs of their Europa League last-16 tie against Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce and an away league fixture against Celtic before the March international break. Fenerbahce will host Rangers on March 6, with the return leg at Ibrox a week later. The next Old Firm derby is scheduled for March 16 at Celtic Park.
