Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement would surely love to have someone like Barry Ferguson in his current Light Blues side, especially after their meek display in the first Old Firm match of the campaign.
As so often in the recent matches against Celtic, the Gers have been completely outsmarted in the middle of the pitch, allowing players such as Callum McGregor – who scored in the 3-0 defeat last weekend – plenty of time and space to play to their strengths.
If Clement’s record in the derby wants to improve, getting a grip of the midfield battle is a key priority, otherwise, the Parkhead side will continue to get one up on the Gers.
Calling on someone such as Ferguson, who enjoyed plenty of success against Celtic in his two spells at the club, would certainly make this task much easier.
Clement will have to stick with what he has at his disposal unfortunately, but the Ibrox side did once come out on top more often than their rivals, especially with the Scottish midfielder as the beating heart of the team.
Barry Ferguson’s Rangers statistics
Ferguson made his debut for the Light Blues on the final day of the 1996/97 campaign against Hearts under the late great Walter Smith, before forcing his way into the first team on a regular basis once Dick Advocaat was appointed as manager in 1998.
Ferguson would become the youngest ever player to captain the club aged just 22 under Advocaat, playing a key role as he helped the club dominate in Scotland once again, winning a treble and double in back-to-back seasons.
Season
Games
Goals
2008/09
27
2
2007/08
62
9
2006/07
41
7
2005/06
46
5
2004/05
15
2
2003/04
5
0
2002/03
48
18
2001/02
39
7
2000/01
47
4
1999/00
49
5
1998/99
41
2
1997/98
7
0
1996/97
1
0
After a disappointing final 18 months for Advocaat, Alex McLeish was appointed in December 2001, who soon turned out to be the ideal manager for Ferguson.
He scored a stunning freekick against Celtic in the 2002 Scottish Cup final as the Light Blues edged the tie 3-2, further establishing his legacy.
McLeish encouraged Ferguson to get forward more often from the heart of the midfield during the 2002/03 campaign, and he was rewarded with a career high best of 18 goals during the season as the club won another domestic treble.
The captain was their most important player, yet after success on the pitch, that summer became one of frugality, as McLeish had to sell players and bring the wage bill down due to financial issues at the club.
With Ferguson being the most prized asset at Ibrox, it was clear he would have to be sold, despite his willingness to remain at the club under McLeish.
How much Rangers sold Barry Ferguson for
Ferguson was still part of the squad which kicked off the 2003/04 campaign, leading his side to a solid start domestically while also seeing off FC Copenhagen to make the group stages of the Champions League after a three-year absence.
At the end of August, it was announced that Blackburn Rovers had signed the Scot for a fee in the region of £7.5m, bringing him to the Premier League.
Graeme Souness hailed the midfielder, saying: "He is 25, has been captain of Rangers and an international for a number of years, and I see him being an outstanding player for this club.”
If it weren’t for the financial issues at the Glasgow side, Ferguson would likely have stayed. It was one of the largest fees received for a Rangers player, but it wasn't the biggest transfer fee McLeish received during his spell in charge of the Gers.
That belonged to a French defender who he signed prior to the 2004/05 season…
Jean-Alain Boumsong’s Rangers statistics
In December 2003, McLeish announced that the club had secured the services of Boumsong on a pre-contract agreement. Considering Premier League clubs such as Liverpool and Arsenal were sniffing about the French titan, it was quite a coup.
The centre-back went on to make 26 appearances for the Glasgow side during the first half of the season, impressing with his physical prowess and no-nonsense approach when it came to defending.
It soon became clear that McLeish would be able to make a substantial profit on Boumsong should clubs start showing interest in him, although he didn’t quite expect this to occur after just six months in Scotland.
As the end of 2004 was approaching, McLeish was keen on keeping the French international defender, but it was evident he wanted to leave for a bigger challenge.
How much Rangers sold Boumsong for
Newcastle United were the team who showed the most interest in Boumsong, as Souness – again – was keen on bringing him to the Premier League.
On January 1, 2005, the move was completed, as the former Rangers manager paid a staggering £8m – a lot at the time to sign a player from Scotland – to sign the centre-back.
Souness was delighted, saying: "Jean-Alain Boumsong has an agreement with us and we have an agreement with Rangers. He is having a medical as we speak. We see him as a big influence at the club both in the short term and long term.”
The fee was £500k more than what Blackburn paid to sign Ferguson, meaning McLeish had raised over £15m in just 18 months by selling two players.
While ultimately, it didn’t quite help their financial issues, securing a profit on both players, especially Boumsong, was certainly commendable.
The Frenchman failed to replicate anything near his best form during his spell with the Magpies, before he spent time at Lyon and Juventus before retiring in 2013 after a spell in Greece.
Selling him was one of the best transfer deals the club have done in its recent history, especially considering the former Auxerre starlet didn’t cost a single penny to sign in the first place.
Clement is clearly trying to build a structure in place which will see talented players move on for serious money, and if he can secure fees such as £8m for various players, it will help the club in the long run.
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