Barry Ferguson - the player

I’d quite like to see Barry involved in coaching our midfield and get him away from the stagnation of the shite punditry.

He was an outstanding Ranger on the park and I think he’d have good insight to share with players.
There’s a reason he’s never been involved in a coaching role at the club.

BF the player was fantastic, but as a coach, I think we’d get a watered down version of Roy Keane - storming around telling everyone they need to get stuck in at places like Motherwell (that’s what he said on open goal).

We know he’s very friendly with the media too. Look at how it went in his second spell. He put Murray in an impossible position with PLG and was on a final warning when he pulled that stunt with Scotland. Walter did what needed to be done.
 
That season I remember everyone contributing.

Amo was just as important as Moore, Numan had probably his most consistent injury free season, Ricksen and Arteta were in the midfield alongside BF and Caniggia/Arveladze/Mols/McCann/Lovenkrands all more than contributed.
They all did enough to carry Boab!
 
I’m still in the “He let himself down” camp but a midfielder who demands the ball from the defence and then dictates the middle of the park is exactly what we need at the moment.
 
Untouchable as the best player of his generation produced in Scotland. Never forget being in Copenhagen and the players all pushing Barry to the front of them at the end of the game after Shota's late winner for the crowd to sing Oh Barry Barry to him. I thought we might just keep him here. But he had signed for Blackburn before we even arrived back in Scotland. Gutted
 
Absolutely loved him. He was a tremendous player for us especially in his first spell.

Modelled the way I hit penalty kicks on his technique and still hit penalty's the same way to this day.... Come to think of it, I'm a whinging b*stard when I'm playing football and I probably picked that up for him as well :D
 
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.
If true then a shocking decision
Wonder if the closeness of Blackburn to Scotland played a part
We're there not tales of regular trips to Scotland to visit family who never moved ?

That would have been detrimental to performance
For me he looked pre injury as if he could become a top tier player. Post injury he was a very good SPL player who could turn in the occasional great game
Ill discipline let him down ultimately
 
Blackburn were never a ‘top 6 side’. That’d be like describing Leicester as a top 4 side when they had 1 storming season and won the league. Yes they finished there once under Souness, but that was the exception not the rule. The season Ferguson joined they finished 15th. That was their level. They were a collection of ex championship players, 30+ players who could not longer cut it at bigger sides (think Brad Friedel, Andy Cole and Henning Berg types), and randomly somehow managed to take our captain from us for 6.75m that we ended up giving them the majority of back less than 18 months later.
I think they'd finished in the top 6 the season before and made Europe is what I meant
Back then the top 6 wasn't a thing really. It was the top 4 then everyone else
 
Up until he left in 2003 he was untouchable. Took over the captaincy of one of the biggest clubs in the world at a very young age and never let it phase him. Played that well against Bayern that Matthaus royally took the huff as Ferguson was giving him the run-around.

2002/2003 his greatest season in a Rangers jersey. Some of the goals he scored were ridiculous as well as his passing.

I believe his signing in 04/05 won us the league. We needed a lift as Klos was out for the season and Boumsong was sold to Newcastle. He was that lift.

A shame the way his Rangers career ended. Deserving of so much better but at least he left with a league and cup double.
 
Ferguson in 02/03 was as close to the complete midfielder as you will see. He’d added goals to his game by that stage, the one thing missing from his game in previous years.
The chemistry between him and De Boer on the pitch was a joy to behold.

He was unlucky at Blackburn as was by all accounts very impressive before his injury. If I remember right by the time he had got fit again Souness (undoubtedly the biggest draw to Blackburn) had left for Newcastle.
With hindsight Blackburn was never the right club for him. Ferguson was the man for the big occasion. He thrived under the pressure of playing in front of 50k+ in Old Firms and CL matches. Playing in front of the 20k per week for a club happy to be mid table was never something he would be satisfied with.
 
Best Scottish player I've seen at Rangers. He was absolutely sensational for us in his first spell.
 
I loved Barry as a player but wouldn't put him near the same echelon as Lampard or Gerrard, c'mon mate.

He absolutely was. Could have played anywhere. That poor move to Blackburn and terrible injury has clouded people's view of him. I remember him bossing England at wembley on 99 before he was even at his peak.
 
Fantastic player. I was gutted when he left. We all love the foreign players who join and click with us and ultimately ‘get’ the club and fans.

However there is nothing like home grown Rangers fan players who make it big with us. It’s like they represent all of us on the pitch. Barry was one of them , Durrant another.
 
I loved Barry as a player but wouldn't put him near the same echelon as Lampard or Gerrard, c'mon mate.
Had the ability to completely run a game and proved that consistently against top quality opposition. Never hid and would take the ball anywhere no matter the player marking him. His head was constantly on the move creating a picture in his head.
Fantastic player but perhaps not so much a great man off it.
 
A real talent one that you dont see to often and certainly for the most part went unrecognised by the media south of the border. Not quite the player he was during his second stint here due to his knee injury at Blackburn.
 
Had the ability to completely run a game and proved that consistently against top quality opposition. Never hid and would take the ball anywhere no matter the player marking him. His head was constantly on the move creating a picture in his head.
Fantastic player but perhaps not so much a great man off it.
For younger fans that never seen peak Ferguson, see the wee boy Neves for Benfica.
 
As already been said, Blackburn was the wrong move. Often forgotten that he did well at Birmingham and Blackpool. Won the League Cup for Brum.

As a coach and manager, I've heard nothing but bad stories.
 
At his peak he could’ve played with anyone. He was that good imo.

His performance at Wembley v England in the 1-0 playoff win was unbelievable for someone so young.
 
He is the best centre mid to have played for us in my life time 100% . He might even be the best ever.

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.
 
I wonder if Barry would be more appreciated in this era of football. Could do all sides of the game well, if you look at someone like John McGinn playing for a top 6 Premier League club, Barry had similar strengths but was a whole lot tidier and classier about his work than McGinn.

I was young at the time so never really got his reputation for being 'Backpass Barry' but I saw it more as him dictating and playing any game at his tempo.
 
You never seen Gazza play fitba? What a ridiculous comment.
The thread is discussing Barry Ferguson's ability as an overall central midfielder and box to box midfielder. What's ridiculous is to suggest that's what gazza was. Different position. So it's never a case of Fergie or gazza.

A typical type of post from you trying to stand out, be a smart arse and disagree. Usual shite.
 
A player whose ability gets vastly inflated with every passing year since retirement, much like his ego...

He was an excellent player in his first spell. In his second, he was overly risk averse and played it safe too often. His shooting was, generally powederpuff, like Glen Kamara (queue someone posting a link to him scoring a rare 30 yard screamer as if it proves me wrong...).

Someone says above that he could have "played at any team in the world" - ability wise? Maybe, just like Paul Lambert played in a champions league winning Dortmund side or Scot McTominay playing for Man U. Ferguson would be there to perform a very set role: retain possession and give the ball to better players who could create opportunities. He wouldn't be dominating games like Pirlo, Modric, Gerrard or Lampard.

Mentality wise I don't think he could have played in "any side in the world". He had to be a big fish in a wee pond, he was a nobody down south. A bog standard, run of the mill player that nobody outside of Scotland would remember or speak about. That's the truth.
 
The thread is discussing Barry Ferguson's ability as an overall central midfielder and box to box midfielder. What's ridiculous is to suggest that's what gazza was. Different position. So it's never a case of Fergie or gazza.

A typical type of post from you trying to stand out, be a smart arse and disagree. Usual shite.
They both played in Centre mid. You have said he was the best centre mid to play for Rangers.
 
had he of avoided injury I think he may well have got a move to a bigger club in England. Fantastic player who definitely makes my all time rangers 11
 
In Scotland there has been a tendency to look at a tidy footballer and want to make them out to be the next Souness, Dalglish or Baxter.

Players like Ferguson & Lambert were hailed as same kind of playmakers when they were nothing of the sort. Both players were strong in winning the ball and having the awareness of what was going on around them in a match to play the right pass, to keep possession for their team, to drive that team on.
They weren’t the ones to take the ball on a run past 3 opponents and slot the ball in the bottom corner of the goal though (albeit Ferguson had his moments).

I think the argument put way back at the start of this thread that Ferguson was more impressive & effective playing as the base of a midfield and managing the game from there is a very valid one.

Taking it up to the current day, Ferguson just doesn’t seem cut out for coaching or management and I’m relieved that he didn’t get any kind of a position like that at Ibrox.
 
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.
The only midfield player I’d say was better for us, and I stress the “for us” bit, would be Gascoigne.
 
In Scotland there has been a tendency to look at a tidy footballer and want to make them out to be the next Souness, Dalglish or Baxter.

Players like Ferguson & Lambert were hailed as same kind of playmakers when they were nothing of the sort. Both players were strong in winning the ball and having the awareness of what was going on around them in a match to play the right pass, to keep possession for their team, to drive that team on.
They weren’t the ones to take the ball on a run past 3 opponents and slot the ball in the bottom corner of the goal though (albeit Ferguson had his moments).

I think the argument put way back at the start of this thread that Ferguson was more impressive & effective playing as the base of a midfield and managing the game from there is a very valid one.

Taking it up to the current day, Ferguson just doesn’t seem cut out for coaching or management and I’m relieved that he didn’t get any kind of a position like that at Ibrox.

"Players like Ferguson were hailed as playmakers when they were nothing of the sort."

Apart from when he scored 18 goals and god knows how many assists in captaining Rangers to a treble?
 
Outstanding footballer. Excellent on-pitch intelligence.

My main memories of him were of him during his 2nd spell. The opinions on him from the bears were very mixed, but I thought he was excellent.

0 league titles as captain when he came back though, which he'll regret. Ricksen was captain fir helicopter Sunday and Weird was, and he deserves respect for this, the one that lead us through to the title from March onwards.
 
I absolutely loved him as a player. Would walk into any Rangers team.

I don't think that video does him justice (no offence OP), his game was more than goals, he just bossed the midfield and ran games. He was class.
You have a point there however the video does illustrate for me the nonsensical view that his older brother was a superior player. Ferguson Snr had the ball retention/passing skills of Barry, but at no time the physicality and pace to get forward or crucially finish clinically.
 
A player whose ability gets vastly inflated with every passing year since retirement, much like his ego...

He was an excellent player in his first spell. In his second, he was overly risk averse and played it safe too often. His shooting was, generally powederpuff, like Glen Kamara (queue someone posting a link to him scoring a rare 30 yard screamer as if it proves me wrong...).

Someone says above that he could have "played at any team in the world" - ability wise? Maybe, just like Paul Lambert played in a champions league winning Dortmund side or Scot McTominay playing for Man U. Ferguson would be there to perform a very set role: retain possession and give the ball to better players who could create opportunities. He wouldn't be dominating games like Pirlo, Modric, Gerrard or Lampard.

Mentality wise I don't think he could have played in "any side in the world". He had to be a big fish in a wee pond, he was a nobody down south. A bog standard, run of the mill player that nobody outside of Scotland would remember or speak about. That's the truth.
Thanks for making me laugh with this.
 
Had the ability to completely run a game and proved that consistently against top quality opposition. Never hid and would take the ball anywhere no matter the player marking him. His head was constantly on the move creating a picture in his head.
Fantastic player but perhaps not so much a great man off it.
Don't disagree with a word of that but the post you quoted was me saying you can't put him into the same bracket as Lampard or Gerrard.
 
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