'Unacceptable? You better believe it' - Rangers legend skewers former club and make surprise changes tip

Rangers legend Barry Ferguson has blasted his former team following back-to-back 4-0 defeats.

The Ibrox club were swept aside by Celtic, leaving them five points off the top of the league, and then trounced by Ajax in their Champions League opener.

Ferguson was left baffled by the lack of reaction from Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team on the European stage following defeat to the club’s rivals.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The former club captain reckons the manner of those results should be “hurting” the team after they “got exactly what they deserved” for sitting off Ajax.

“What can never be tolerated at my old club is the manner in which they have surrendered and capitulated in two of the biggest games they could possibly be asked to play,” he wrote in his Daily Record column. “Fight. Desire. Spirit. Professional pride. A bit of anger.

“I didn’t see any of it in these two defeats and that must have been the biggest concern of all for Giovanni van Bronckhorst as he sat on the plane back from Amsterdam on Wednesday night.

"I was looking at them on Wednesday night and they were like rabbits caught in the headlights.

“When the ball went out for a throw I wanted to see at least one of them getting a grip of his team mates. Telling them to get tighter. Demanding more effort. That’s the very least you expect when you’re in danger of getting a doing.

Rangers faced criticism for back-to-back 4-0 defeats. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)Rangers faced criticism for back-to-back 4-0 defeats. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)
Rangers faced criticism for back-to-back 4-0 defeats. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

“So it was painful to sit and watch Rangers roll over for Ajax the other night, the same way as they did at Celtic Park at the weekend. Unacceptable? You better believe it.”

Ferguson would like to see Van Bronckhorst ring the changes for this weekend’s Premiership fixture with Aberdeen.

"If I was Gio, I would try something very different this weekend because he desperately needs to shake things up,” he said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It wouldn’t surprise me if he plays John Lundtstram in a back three, goes with tried and tested in midfield, in Steve Davis, Ryan Jack and Scott Arfield and tries Alfredo Morelos and Antonio Colak as a two up top.”

Comments

 0 comments

Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.