Barry Ferguson - the player

J

Jim Prideaux

Well-Known Member

Is it bizarre if I say deep lying Barry of 98-00 was a better player than 02/03 box to box Barry?

The only reason I posted this is my young grandson asked me yesterday who the best Rangers players I’ve seen in the flesh was, and he didn’t expect me to say Barry.

It genuinely angers me that he never got to fulfil his potential down south, an incredibly talented footballer with the arrogance and skill to make him the best footballer I’ve seen the 50+ years I’ve watched Rangers.

Him getting in Lothar’s face, wow.
 
Jim Prideaux said:

Is it bizarre if I say deep lying Barry of 98-00 was a better player than 02/03 box to box Barry?

The only reason I posted this is my young grandson asked me yesterday who the best Rangers players I’ve seen in the flesh was, and he didn’t expect me to say Barry.

It genuinely angers me that he never got to fulfil his potential down south, an incredibly talented footballer with the arrogance and skill to make him the best footballer I’ve seen the 50+ years I’ve watched Rangers.

Him getting in Lothar’s face, wow.
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It's a reasonable point. I remember watching the Leverkeusen away game. (99?). He ran that game.
 
Top class player who was capable of turning in world class performances.

He was that good I actually think he underachieved.

He should either have stayed at Rangers and played 600+ games.. or ended up at Man Utd or the likes. He was that good.

Hes everything I want in my captain.. just a moany bastard who sets standards.
 
Superb player for Rangers. Especially his first time round. He’s one person I wish I really never met. But the threads about the player and the was a fantastic player for Rangers.
 
He equally good in both roles you mentioned. He was absolutely outstanding as a box to box player in 02/03 and in a team with De Boer, Arteta, Mols, Numan etc it was him that was main main and driving force.

Fact he was able to go back down south and cruise it as a holding player shows how good he was in that role also, without even getting to how good he was as a youngster in that role.
 
Absolutely brilliant player.
Been going to Ibrox since the early 70s and apart from maybe Greig he has been Rangers most influential player for me over that period.
Played through bad injury and drove the team to win games when they maybe wouldn’t have. Decent goal scorer aswell.
 
Fantastic player, definitely our best player post 9IAR. Have to say though I'm surprised someone of 50+ years watching us would have him as the best Rangers player they've seen.
 
TN8 said:
Fantastic player, definitely our best player post 9IAR. Have to say though I'm surprised someone of 50+ years watching us would have him as the best Rangers player they've seen.
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He was a dad at 8 month
 
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New guy in my work suggested Ferguson and Lennon were 2 best midfielders on Scotland,yes,one of them ,couldn’t even say anything back,
 
Looking back over his career after all this time - I have to use the term
' underachievement '

There were times it was reasonable to think - this guy is destined for the very top

I recognise that Blackburn & Birmingham were always going to be limited in the amount of exposure they might attract - & if the truth be told neither team at the time would have developed him much further IMO

But the thing is - there were times at both these clubs when Barry wasn't much more than average -
Consequently the bigger clubs weren't ever tempted to risk bids

I've often wondered if the likes of an Italian, Spanish or German club had signed him before Blackburn - how things might have turned out ?

We'll obviously never know now
But I can still only arrive at the 'underachievement' tag
 
gersandproud said:
Looking back over his career after all this time - I have to use the term
' underachievement '

There were times it was reasonable to think - this guy is destined for the very top

I recognise that Blackburn & Birmingham were always going to be limited in the amount of exposure they might attract - & if the truth be told neither team at the time would have developed him much further IMO

But the thing is - there were times at both these clubs when Barry wasn't much more than average -
Consequently the bigger clubs weren't ever tempted to risk bids

I've often wondered if the likes of an Italian, Spanish or German club had signed him before Blackburn - how things might have turned out ?

We'll obviously never know now
But I can still only arrive at the 'underachievement' tag
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He was outstanding at Blackburn before his injury I think. I'm sure he was more than a match for the leagues top midfielders. Memory could be playing tricks mind you.
 
The boy who became king.

Not a player in the league could touch him. He matched many of the European giants he faced.

Easily my favourite ever player.
 
He was as good a midfielder as I've ever seen for us. Genuinely top class player and ahead of his time in that type of style Imo. Would be brilliant for us in any era.
 
Always played on the half turn and awareness of where other players, opposition and ours was incredible. He could receive the ball while under pressure and could run a game on his own. Complete midfielder.
 
And Goram. Again said:
He was outstanding at Blackburn before his injury I think. I'm sure he was more than a match for the leagues top midfielders. Memory could be playing tricks mind you.
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I don't doubt he had purple patches and was also head & shoulders above most of his teammates most of the time
But he was never consistent IMO

I can remember times in live games for both clubs when commentators described him as having a quiet game
I presume these games are what put off bigger clubs bidding - but who can tell for sure

IMO Barry never fully achieved his potential
 
gersandproud said:
I don't doubt he had purple patches and was also head & shoulders above most of his teammates most of the time
But he was never consistent IMO

I can remember times in live games for both clubs when commentators described him as having a quiet game
I presume these games are what put off bigger clubs bidding - but who can tell for sure

IMO Barry never fully achieved his potential
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I agree, but purely because of injury.

Was told a story by a personal friend of his that Barry was all set to join Arsenal in 03, but Wenger played down his role a bit and Barry opted for Blackburn because of Souness.

Never heard it mentioned at the time, but folk know who him will probably know who I’m referring to and it’s about as solid as you can get.

He should have replaced Keane at United, or partnered Gerrard at Liverpool.
 
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A game he played against the scum in 2007 (we won 3-0 and he scored a toe poke in to the top bag) doesn’t get spoke about enough. He absolutely ran the show.

Topped it off after a series of passes within the team, nutmegging Heed Caldwell and a wee cheeky grin after being fouled.
 
TamS-RFC said:
A game he played against the scum in 2007 (we won 3-0 and he scored a toe poke in to the top bag) doesn’t get spoke about enough. He absolutely ran the show.

Topped it off after a series of passes within the team, nutmegging Heed Caldwell and a wee cheeky grin after being fouled.
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Gets fouled in a phase of play after him and Adam ripped the piss for 4 minutes with no look passes and he just starts crying with laughter.

His 07/08 campaign is very underrated, still chest puffed out, scored 9 or 10 goals and the absolute pinged out pass to Burke in Greece is one of my favourite passes ever.
 
My hero growing up.the best player i have seen play for us by some distance

02/03 season he was up there with the best cm in europe

I think he underachieved in his career with the talent he had although i think if he didnt get injured at blackburn he would have got a move
 
Sensible Head said:
Easily one of our greatest midfielders..
A classy player ,we will be lucky to see a player of his calibre come through the Ranks snd captain the club at the age of 22... dragged us through some games to victory on his own at times...our steven gerrard
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Here’s one that’ll cause ructions.
If I were doing my dream team, today, in 4-4-2, as it was back then, he’d be partnering Gascoigne in centre midfield.
Always struggled to fill that spot with a player who “did it for Rangers”.
That means players like Souness and Wilkins, better players career wise, don’t count for me.
 
Took him for granted at the time, didn't realise how special he was as it was just the norm having him at the forefront of the ranks, only when he left do I realise just how important he was not only at a player but Captain and Leader... would have gone to the very top of Europe with one of the biggest Clubs had it not been for injury.
 
gersandproud said:
Looking back over his career after all this time - I have to use the term
' underachievement '

There were times it was reasonable to think - this guy is destined for the very top

I recognise that Blackburn & Birmingham were always going to be limited in the amount of exposure they might attract - & if the truth be told neither team at the time would have developed him much further IMO

But the thing is - there were times at both these clubs when Barry wasn't much more than average -
Consequently the bigger clubs weren't ever tempted to risk bids

I've often wondered if the likes of an Italian, Spanish or German club had signed him before Blackburn - how things might have turned out ?

We'll obviously never know now
But I can still only arrive at the 'underachievement' tag
Click to expand...
He was linked with moves until his injury at Blackburn where in six months he was made captain.

If five league titles, 5 Scottish cups, 5 leagues cups and an English league cup is underachieving then he’s a better man that me
 
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