‘Jumbled mess’ ‘flaky squad’ ‘exhibited his shortcomings’ Keown puts the boot into the Barry Revolution

Gary Keown has delivered a scathing verdict on Barry Ferguson’s 10 match stint in charge of the 2012 Ibrox Tribute Act.

The interim boss has produced some incredible stats, at least two goals have been lost in all six SPFL matches while a home win at Ibrox has proved elusive.

Having one of their own in the dug-out has largely been welcomed by Ibrox fans but the reality is that their club is currently being managed by a Daily Record columnist alongside a few of his pals from the BBC.

That lack of knowledge was evident against Athletic Bilbao from the team selected all the way through to tactics and substitutions.

Ferguson squealed about two penalty decisions after the match with the obliging media happy to chase after that squirrel with five meaningless matches to be completed before the season officially ends.

Invisible CEO Paddy Stewart meets an invited audience of My Gers fans on Wednesday when Keown and others will want to hear some moonbeams.

News about a takeover, manager and transfer war-chest is likely to be hinted at before the former Manchester United chief puts the foot down on full on austerity to turn around two seasons of losses exceeding £40m to win one League Cup.

In the Daily Mail, Keown opened with:

Barry Ferguson’s admission, as the dust settled on a pretty toothless Europa League quarter-final loss to Athletic Bilbao, that he is prepared to go back to his ambassadorial role at Rangers said lots.

The nature of the defeat in the San Mames — and the failures in terms of tactics and selection within — showed, without doubt, that the former club captain is not the future. It’s hardly a revelation of Damascene proportions, but Ferguson cannot remain in the dug-out beyond this term. He knows it. Everyone knows it. It remains remarkable he was ever given a crack at the job in the first place.

After detailing CEO Stewart’s multiple failings and the delayed strategic review announced in January from American consultants, Keown turns his attention to the failure in the dug-out.

It doesn’t really matter all that much now, but a little more investigation of the rationale of appointing Ferguson, if time permits after more pressing matters have been addressed, might be worthwhile too.

Yes, it’s hard to bring in a stop-gap appointment three months before the end of the season. However, no matter the club’s problems, managing Rangers in the latter stages of UEFA competition would surely have been seen as a wonderful shop window for any coach out of work.

Did Stewart really have to go to a former player, who hadn’t been involved in the game for three years after an ill-fated spell in League One at Alloa Athletic, which ended on a run of two wins in 15 games? Is that the extent of his imagination and ambition?

At the time, it felt like Rangers were pretty much giving up on the season. It might have been excusable to bring in Ferguson, along with other former players in Neil McCann and Billy Dodds, to end the toxicity around Ibrox if there was nothing left to play for.

However, Rangers were in the last 16 of the Europa League. Admittedly, Ferguson did oversee a fantastic, incomprehensible 3-1 first-leg victory over Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce which paved the way for progress in the competition. He also led his side to an away win at Celtic Park in the league.

Over the piece, though, his reign has been the kind of jumbled mess you would have expected. Lots has been said about the fight he has put into the team and the standards he has demanded, but it doesn’t really bear scrutiny.

Anyone there in the media room at Ibrox after Rangers had been rolled over by Hibs two weeks ago couldn’t have missed how defeated Ferguson looked. He pretty much admitted he wasn’t getting a reaction. His exasperation over a flaky squad who more or less turn up when they feel like it was almost tangible. At times, it has been hard not to feel a little sorry for him.

Despite those incredible triumphs in the Sukru Saracoglu and Celtic Park, the 47-year-old’s time at the helm has brought just four wins and two draws in 10 games. Rangers have conceded 18 goals. In seven of those games, they have gone 2-0 down.

Part of the reason Rangers need new ownership, investment, recruitment and ideas is that this squad needs completely taken apart. Ferguson could only ever do so much with these guys, but Bilbao exhibited his shortcomings too.

Facing a team built on a far bigger budget, they should have had a penalty for a shirt-tug on Cyriel Dessers and were digging in well when Ridvan Yilmaz went down injured after 20 minutes.

Why Ferguson replaced the Turk with Connor Barron — instead of defender Clinton Nsiala — and shunted Mohamed Diomande to left wing-back will remain an eternal mystery.

Too often, Diomande fails to deliver domestically, but he does have real talent, can take the ball in dangerous areas and makes it easier for the team to attack effectively. Taking him out of the engine room was a mistake. As was removing Ianis Hagi for Nsiala — an attacker for a defender when a goal down — at half-time.

Hearing James Tavernier admit afterwards that the team didn’t do itself justice, was probably overtaken by the occasion, just added to sense of Thursday night being an opportunity squandered.

Having Ferguson around the building is going to cast a giant shadow over any incoming manager.

Once results go against the new man you won’t have to wait too long to read the reports demanding a return for Barry on the grounds that ‘he gets it’ with little else to offer.