If you look at the Ibrox fan forums right now, something unbelievable is looming large. Some of them, after just one game, are preparing to anoint Barry Ferguson and his coaching team as the next permanent management team at the club.
And if you don’t believe me, go and look at their fan media—it’s full of claims that Ferguson has already raised standards, that he’s brought the right mentality back to the club. These people are getting ready for this.
There are times when I think we could not, even if we wanted to, create a more abject opponent for ourselves. You know, if we were actually given the power to decide who our rival was going to be, and we had the tools—like in a video game—to construct our own opposition and then play against them, we couldn’t possibly do better than these people. There is literally no configuration of traits that would make them weaker or more foolish than they already are.
But the idea that they might seriously get behind Ferguson and his team as the permanent managerial group, at least until Rodgers wipes the floor with them, is so astonishing to me that it makes what happened yesterday in the Oval Office seem like routine business.
The notion of Ferguson as even a stand-in Ibrox boss is a joke. It’s an embarrassment to that club’s self-image. It’s an embarrassment to what it thinks it is. It’s an embarrassment to what it allegedly aspires to be.
I’ve made my feelings on this clear in numerous articles, and I’ve said that this is a scenario we should be praying for. As much as I wanted it, I never believed it would actually come to pass—but I only have to look across the city to see that some of their fans would support it. And don’t underestimate what that means.
We all know who holds the power at that club. Even if new owners come in, they will, to some extent, have to appease the supporters—or at least enough of them to keep the club running at a break-even level.
If the Ibrox support is in favour of Ferguson being appointed, and if that support is quantifiable and verifiable, why wouldn’t these people bow to it? If this is what the fans want, give them what they want.
People coming in to run that club on a business-first basis, people trying to professionalise it and bring it up to a certain standard, are not going to want to fork out millions on a new managerial team if they have an alternative already inside the building. And if that alternative is cheap, willing to work hard, and has at least some level of backing from the fans, why wouldn’t they take that route?
I said in a recent piece that these fans don’t have any idea of the danger they’re in. When some of the hacks described this appointment as obviously temporary, I warned not to be too sure. Every Celtic fan I know thought Lennon was a stopgap when he first got the job—with no managerial experience at all. Compare that to Ferguson, who does have experience, and even McCann, who does. Lennon had none. He was a coach in our youth academy.
And Lennon lost the Scottish Cup. That was one of his primary objectives, and he didn’t win it. Yet he still got the job. I don’t think a single one of us expected that. Likewise, when he was brought back for a second stint, most people assumed it was temporary. And then all of a sudden, we saw the shower scene from Hampden.
This danger is obvious to anyone paying attention.
The idea that their club wouldn’t do something that self-destructive has been rendered nonsense by their past behaviour. They hired Michael Beale—Gerrard’s assistant—before he had managed a single game of football. So don’t tell me it can’t or won’t happen. It could, and if enough of their fans want it to, it will.
And the drumbeat has already started. It only took one game.
My only regret is that they’re still in Europe, because their eventual exit—and the scale of the defeat—is what’s going to bring some people back to reality. My only regret is that we still have two games to play against them, because those could be just as bad as the European games, if not worse. And anyone still wavering will be brought back to reality—pretty damn quickly at that.
And yet, there’s a real chance of this. All it takes is a credible performance at Celtic Park and a credible performance at Ibrox, and enough of their fans will be on board.
If Ferguson sits in front of the Americans, or whoever takes over, and they ask him what his unique selling point is, he’ll tell them: He knows the club. He knows the history. He knows the style he wants to play.
And although he’s hamstrung by working with someone else’s team, once he gets his own players, he knows he can turn things around.
What happens if the people sitting across from him—who know nothing about football—listen to that and think, “Yeah, why not? He deserves a chance.”
And I can write this without fear.
Because there isn’t going to be some Ibrox-supporting member of a prominent fan group reading this and thinking, “This guy’s right. We’ve been well warned—this would be a disaster.” They don’t listen to a single word we say. In fact, if we say, “Don’t do this,” they’ll do it just to spite us.
And I think they might actually do this. I’m starting to believe that if they can find enough justification, they will back Ferguson and the rest of the Brown Brogue Brigade. Staunchness before common sense.
And obviously, I don’t want him to do enough to guarantee it. But I’m now in a place where I want him to do just well enough to have a chance.
Because all that staunch talk might just carry him the rest of the way.
Photo by Steve Welsh\SNS Group via Getty Images
Let us suppose that a takeover is on the cards and that it involves the York family: to what extent would the supporters of the Ibrox club welcome the new owners, who are prominent donors to the Catholic Church in America and to Catholic charities? And would the Yorks (or other decently minded people) want to be associated with a subculture that sings merrily about wading in the blood of Catholics? There may be some hurdles to cross before the thirteen-year-old club has new owners.
I have to say James, yesterday was a strange day for me, i was delighted with the ticket allocations getting sorted, common sense certainly prevailed there. I was listening to Brendan Rodgers, he was also happy with it, was a great decision all round. Now I know your a big politics fan like myself, so I was glued to the tv, watching with interest about the ding dong in the Oval Office yesterday, between the don, jd Vance , and the outstanding president Zelensky. I just hope our keir can use his negotiating skills, that he picked up as an award winning human rights lawyer, to smooth things over. Going back to the footy, I wonder how hale and pace, sorry Jonny and Micmac took the news, I’d imagine the two of them will still have there heads in there coco pops from yesterday morning. The 2 of them remind me of the old gits in Harry enfield, always moaning they two.
Personally I don’t care what a hun says to me, or about me, although I was a wee bit annoyed when you told me to go back home to Ireland, straight out of the ‘Famine Song’ was that one and it totally sums you up.
Oh who’s biting this morning, and your comment about Ireland is ridiculous. We are from Wicklow, I didn’t tell you to go home, and you know it. I told you to go over to Ireland as you are constantly talking about it. I have no racism or bigoted bones in my body, i love every person, no matter their background. That’s why I told you that I support both Israelis and Palestinians. You’re playing the victim card with the Ireland thing. If you can’t have a laugh, then don’t give it out.
Okay snowflake, whatever you say, but you know and I know what you are.
You take things far too serious, you ought to lighten up a bit.
“Our Keir” – He might fuckin well be your ‘Kier’ Thegoodghuy but he sure as hell ain’t fuckin mine any time of the day any time of the year…
He is one little right wing Butchers Apron loving bastard – And that’s me being polite…
Not that I wanna get into politics but in previous threads didn’t you state that you were very ‘proud’ or the generosity of The Brits in your own opinion…
Where does that stand today as overseas aid is cut for ‘defence of the relam’
And cut for it on the whim and demands of Donald Trump and JD Vance at that…
I’m not quite a pensioner but he’s in the full hatred category with them as well now –
Nah – Na Da, Na Da… This Butchers Apron Loving Brit is definitely not a ‘good un’
He might be your Keir but he certainly ain’t fuckin well mine…
Oh and by the way – He won’t be enamoured with you as you forgot to call the little twerp Sir Kier !
the ticket situation has not in any way been sorted it only suits that mob. brendan rodgers was not going to cause any further friction in his comments and as for starmer dont hold your breath he just repeats parrot fashion the things boris johnson said. it now time for this war to end . the incident in the oval office could be a blessing in disguise by bringing this conflict up for debate, . going back to starmer handing out the invitation for a state visit that will cost millions was vomit inducing.
I think Zelensky is a patriot and a real hero to the Ukrainians, he is standing up for his beliefs, and I say credit to him for that. Putin is a bully, and not to be trusted. I think Donald trump and jd Vance were surprised yesterday, but Zelensky is a fiercely, proud guy, and I say well done for that. It took some balls to fight his corner in the Oval Office, here’s hoping Starmer, and sarkozy for example can smoothie things over.
i think it was zelensky who got the surprise of his life .
I’m not sure about that scousebhoy, I think the don and jd Vance are used to being surrounded with yes men, Zelensky I don’t think was playing that game.
Macron, not sarkozy lol.
back to the fitba get another victory tonight bhoys.
Sorry scousebhoy, just love my politics pal. I get carried away at times lol. I agree mon the hoops HH
As im currently classed as a citizen of the UK, like it or not, I’m totally embarrassed that old farty pants has been invited again to this country. Have our politicians and Charlie no self respect even if they’re, and I’m being generous here, pulling the wool over his eyes to get a great deal. That’s it then he’ll be setting off with a trumpty trump, trump, trum, trump.
Back to the only thing that makes sense C’mon a Hoops
For balance, I would like to add that although Neil Lennon did not win the Scottish cup as you mentioned, he did go on to mastermind possibly the greatest victory in Celtic’s history with the exception of Lisbon when he beat what many believe was the best football side of all time “Barcelona”. Brendan has not beaten a side near that calibre yet but we can hope
Let’s. Just remember the last Rangers – Celtic game when. all we had to worry about was how many we would score and would the game get to 90 minutes without a riot..
There’s so much pressure in these games it’s too complicated to predict .
On paper we should destroy them , that’s what Bayern thought about Celtic too!!!!
I can’t remember the score in the last ‘rangers’ – Celtic game JohnC…
But it’d be around this time 13 years ago as we beat them 3-0 in the very very last game between the above (at the time) named two but that was at Parkhead !
EDIT UPDATE –
We scored TWO In the last ‘rangers’ – Celtic game JohnC…
But we conceded three to ‘Rangers’ at Liebrox that day –
The date was = Sunday 25th March 2012 !!!