In the quiet confines of Rangers’ museum, Barry Ferguson is recalling his previous trip to the sporting citadel which sits a few yards from us across the car park.
‘I was at the last home game against Hearts,’ said the club’s former skipper and interim manager. ‘It threw me back to Fenerbahce last year. The atmosphere was absolutely electric.’
Come Sunday lunchtime, it will be that and then some. At any given time, the visit of Celtic to Ibrox is a high-octane affair. The noise level inside the stadium for this clash might well be hazardous to the eardrums.
The fact that Rangers are well in the title race, having looked to be fading last October, is one reason why home supporters will crank up the din. Another is that they will sense a vulnerability in their opponents.
A Celtic side who have already lost seven league matches from 27 this season will also be missing an experienced hand at the back due to Auston Trusty’s suspension. That’s likely to mean Benjamin Arthur or Dane Murray partnering Liam Scales.
In Ferguson’s view, with home advantage, that’s a situation head coach Danny Rohl will look to exploit by pairing Ryan Naderi with Youssef Chermiti. Just as he did to considerable effect in the 4-2 win over the Tynecastle men.
Barry Ferguson reckons Youssef Chermiti can have a huge influence against Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday
Ferguson has been impressed by the flexibility shown by Danny Rohl and thinks his team can beat their rivals this weekend
Barry Ferguson had a stint as interim manager at Rangers, and appreciates the job Rohl is doing
‘I think Rangers’ approach on Sunday will be to go and attack Celtic,’ he offered. ‘Who knows what the team’s going to be? But if you go with a two, you’re looking at a real physical presence there. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the way that the manager goes.’
Under Rohl, Rangers have become more adaptable in their formation and consequently less predictable.
‘What I like about him is he’s quite flexible,’ said Ferguson. ‘I think you need to be that. Too many people say they’ve got Plan A, but if Plan A doesn’t work, they’ll do plan A better. He’ll go and he’ll change the formations, whether it’s a back three or a back four, or whether he plays one or two up top.
‘You’ve got to make the opposition think. I think sometimes when you’ve got a certain way of playing, you’re easy to set up against.
‘Quite a few teams, I’m sure, they’re unsure what way he’s going to go. It’s important that you’re flexible. So, I really like that. I’ve been really impressed by him.’
Rohl lost his first Old Firm derby at Hampden, then won his second at Celtic Park at the turn of the year.
With the home straight coming into view, the value of another victory over Martin O’Neill’s men, this time at Ibrox on Sunday, would be hard to understate.
‘I don’t think beating Celtic will win you the title, but it’ll be a statement,’ insisted Ferguson.
‘I always respect the opponent. I think if you look across the road at Celtic, they’ve got an experienced manager that knows his way about the game.
Ryan Naderi in the thick of the action against Hearts, and Ferguson reckons he should be used up front alongside Chermiti on Sunday
Chermiti scores in the 3-1 victory at Celtic Park in January, and Ferguson believes Rangers can win again at Ibrox
‘I still think they’ve got good players, really good players.
‘But if Rangers play to the capabilities I think they can. I think Rangers can win it.’
That scenario would considerably shorten the odds on a first Premiership title for the Ibrox club since 2021.
Ferguson, though, disagrees with former team-mate Kris Boyd’s view that the loser on Sunday is out of the race.
‘I don’t agree with that,’ he added. ‘I’ve heard so many people say that. I think there’s going to be twists and turns. I think it’s going to go right down to the wire.
‘Whether it’s four teams when it comes to the last game, or two, I’m unsure. But it’s definitely going to go down to the wire.
‘I’ve been involved on a few last-day ones. They’re a bit nail-biting, but … look, I would take that because of where Rangers were.
‘Rangers were in a bad place in October, and you’ve got to give the manager credit, the staff credit, and the most important thing, the players credit because they were written off.
‘If you look back to when Danny came in, if you’d said to me Rangers would be in this position, I would have looked at you as if you had horns coming out of your head.
‘So, they’re in a title fight with three other teams. There’s no doubt about that.’
Some might question if a Motherwell side who are 10 points behind Hearts with a game in hand are part of this conversation. Not Ferguson.
‘Oh, 100 per cent,’ he insisted. ‘I’ve seen them live twice. You can’t not be impressed by them. I think they will have a big say in this.’
He is increasingly confident, however, that his former club will have the last word.
To varying degrees, he feels the four players Rohl recruited in January have demonstrated that they can make the difference in this tightest of seasons,.
Ferguson is backing Danny Rohl to get the better of Martin O’Neill in Sunday’s showdown
‘I always look at the middle of the pitch. I like Tochi Chukwuani,’ he said.
‘I like Tuur Rommens. Ryan Naderi is a work in progress, but I like the attributes he’s got.
‘(Andreas) Skov Olsen has been a bit slow starting, but there’s no doubt he’s got ability. They’ve certainly put the quality up higher.
‘I think that’s important when you go into a window that you make the team and the squad stronger.
‘There’s going to be a few more twists and turns. But what a difference four months has made for the club.
‘The only slight concern would be the away form in the last three games, but, listen, it’s still in Rangers’ hands.’
