Rangers ready for any repeat of Jose Mourinho's Celtic antics - 'I expect us to be a bit like that as well”

Barry Ferguson has stressed Rangers must wise up in the Ibrox hothouse as they seek to maintain their first leg advantage over Fenerbahce.

Although they will enjoy the supposed comforts of home, the interim manager has seen for himself how Ibrox can work against his players. Rangers are currently on a three-match losing run at the venue, with Ferguson’s homecoming having been ruined by a 2-1 defeat to Motherwell on their last outing in Govan.

Ferguson’s team have since restored some credibility for themselves and their manager with an exceptional 3-1 win in the first leg of the Europa League last 16 tie in Istanbul.

Rangers interim manager Barry Ferguson during a training session ahead of the Europa League last 16 second leg tie against Fenerbahce. | PA

Now the trick is to hold on to this lead or preferably add to it. Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho has already warned Rangers about falling prey to the belief that the tie is already over.

It is an example of the Portuguese manager’s aptitude for mind games. Many Scottish football fans recall his Porto side’s antics in the Uefa Cup final against Celtic in 2003, although Rangers supporters will have welcomed such tactics on that occasion.

They will be less approving if they are employed to derail their own side’s bid to secure a last eight place. Asked if he was prepared for everything the streetwise Mourinho and his players might throw at Rangers, Ferguson stressed that he was. He also added that the onus was on his own players to be smarter.

“I think we need to be better at those things as well,” he said. “I've mentioned that to my players, sometimes we're too nice. We can't be nice all the time. I expect Fenerbahce to be a bit like that tomorrow night, but I expect us to be a bit like that as well.”

Cyriel Dessers during a training session at the Rangers Training Centre on Wednesday. | PA

Although Ferguson is no novice as a manager, he has only recently resumed his managerial career after nearly three years away from the dugout. He’s aware that the tie is a long way from over against a manager as experienced and successful as Mourinho.

“First and foremost, I've got huge respect for him,” said Ferguson. “I said last week, I think that's 26 trophies he's won in a number of different countries. He's managed at the highest level. It's a real challenge for me, but listen, I'm not scared of the challenge. Standing on the touchline, it was an honour for me (in Turkey).

“He's got a real good team, he's a top-class manager. He would have been hurting, I know that for a fact. You'll see a different kind of Fenerbahce tomorrow night, there's no doubt about that. We have worked the last three days on different scenarios that I think will happen within the game. We just need to wait and see what happens come 8pm, but I've got every faith in my group of players.”

Ferguson may like to turn to the same XI who produced such an eye-opening result in Istanbul. Centre-half Robin Propper was taken off after 28 minutes with a head injury and was replaced by Leon Balogun, who was excellent.

The interim manager will wait before taking a decision about Propper as well as “one or two others” who are carrying knocks.

“He's done a couple of training sessions," said Ferguson with reference to Propper. "He's not been with the team but he was with the team today, and there's been another one or two slight issues. Ideally, I would love to have everybody available, but that's just the way it goes sometimes. I'll just need to wait until tomorrow morning, I'll see how they wake up, and hopefully I'll have a full squad to pick from.”