Barry


Barry Ferguson former Rangers & Scotland captain was interviewed on Radio Scotland this evening & thoughtful as ever reflected on a nearly great career. His first managerial job is the temporary boss of a sinking Blackpool & I wish him well. No doubt he will soon be looking for a new club & may land back home in Scotland.
He was a boyhood Rangers fan & followed his brother in wearing the blue of Ibrox. When younger he was struggling to get a game & seemingly asked his best pal if there was a vacancy at Celtic.
The Captain of Rangers job came eventually & he had a career not without its controversy & he was the major factor in seeing off the hapless Paul Le Guen, a well respected foreign coach hounded out of Ibrox.
For many Barry's defining moment was not the Italy goal and captaining Scotland in an exciting campaign including a double over France, no drinkgate in Loch Lomond & his lack of judgment following.
I was called often that week by the media to damn him & in the end I called for some form of punishment, however Walter will have chastised him more than any angry quote I could muster. He was banned by fax.
Drink & fitba, surely not? The first Scottish footballer to disgrace himself?
Archie Macpherson writes a first hand account of the shenanigans at oor 1974 World Cup camp. Scotland Captain Billy Bremner & sailor extraordinare Jimmy Johnstone appear at the team hotel drunk & singing. Argentina '78......
But they were different they were well, not Barry Ferguson.  Modern day footballers live by different standards, but we continue to eulogise Jinky , Bremner & the king of booze, Jim Baxter.
Barry will with a bit of luck be a good manager, maybe not of Rangers, but then again.
He claims that many want him to fail. Those who remember Loch Lomond.
I remember a really classy player, he played at Wembley '99. He captained the last Scotland squad to play well in the qualifiers.
Good luck Barry. Be a good manager, give us some good Scottish lads with technique as well as passion.