Barry Ferguson believes it has been far too long since Rangers secured a victory at the home of their city rivals and is determined to guide his team to success at Celtic Park on Sunday.
The interim head coach admitted that he barely had time to relish the Europa League progression after their dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Fenerbahce, as his focus quickly shifted to Sunday’s Old Firm derby.
Rangers’ challenge will not only be to narrow Celtic’s 16-point lead at the top of the Premiership, but also to end a nearly five-year wait for a win at Celtic Park. Connor Goldson’s brace earned Rangers a 2-0 win at Parkhead in October 2020, and they’ve since played there eight times without victory.
“Yes, it is too long,” Ferguson conceded. “It’s a tough place to go and get a result. We all have our approach to the game, which I believe can get us the result. If it’s not working, we can adapt during the game.”
“That flexibility is important. I’ve mentioned before that we haven’t been flexible enough as a team, but now we’re starting to get that with more time on the pitch. I’m looking forward to Sunday. We’ll play in a way that I, along with my staff, believe will give us the right result. We’ll take it from there. Eight games is a long time. We need to change that on Sunday, and that’s our mindset.”
Though Rangers are too far behind to realistically challenge for domestic success this season, Ferguson rejected any notion that there’s nothing left to play for, stressing that the players are motivated by the series of “huge games” ahead. He also expressed excitement about experiencing the derby from the touchline, having relished the “hostile” atmosphere as a player.
“In my opinion, there’s still plenty to play for in terms of pride,” Ferguson said. “We’ve got some tough matches coming up, including Sunday. These are the games every footballer looks forward to.”
“As a manager, I’m eager to experience it from the touchline for the first time. That will be interesting. It’s a place I always enjoyed playing at—it’s hostile, and I thrive in those types of environments.”
“I want my players to embrace these kinds of stadiums. I’m sure I’ll get a warm reception when I’m on the touchline, but I need to focus on ensuring my team executes the game plan. If we do that, we’ll have a strong chance of getting the three points.”
The Ibrox coaching staff is still evaluating the fitness of their players following the demanding 120 minutes against Fenerbahce, but Ferguson made it clear that fatigue would not be an excuse for his team.
“I’ll find out more in tomorrow’s session, but as far as the 120 minutes are concerned, I’m not going to use that as an excuse going into Sunday,” he stated. “They’re well looked after here with sports science, masseurs, nutrition, and supplements.”
“There are one or two players, as you saw when I made substitutions, who had minor issues, but nothing major. I just need to see how they feel after today’s session.”
‘It’s been too long’: Ferguson aims to put end to Rangers’ Celtic Park pain
