THE credentials of Rangers’ interim management team might have been called into question but never their commitment to the cause.
The Ibrox board knew what they would be getting when, in their hour of need, they turned to Barry Ferguson, Neil McCann, Billy Dodds and Allan McGregor and asked them to steer this listing ship into safer waters until the end of the season.
The patient, continental approach of Philippe Clement evidently was no longer working, if it ever really did. Domestic glory may have slipped by for another season but, with a Europa League knockout phase to navigate, Rangers knew they couldn’t afford to just drift on aimlessly until the end of the season and the proposed summer takeover of the club.
Barry Ferguson and Jack Butland celebrate Europa League victory over Fenerbahce
Ferguson with assistant coaches Billy Dodds and Neil McCann
So, out went the carrot and in came the stick with the aim of jolting this underperforming, ‘too nice’ squad into upping their game. Wins over Fenerbahce and Celtic suggest this new tough love approach seems to be working, even if Ferguson chose to keep his cards close to his chest when asked to expand on his measures.
Having four Scots relentlessly barking at them on the training ground will have come as a culture shock to many of the foreign imports but Jack Butland, a veteran of the British scene, believes the new approach is having the desired effect.
‘From the minute the guys came in, they were very conscious about getting results, very conscious about trying to make the environment and the energy right, which they have now,’ said the goalkeeper. ‘They’ve come in with big voices, big energy and big characters.
‘It’s very easy to follow that standard, to understand who they were, who they are as people and who they were as players. They’ve set a real standard for everybody. They’re very aware of what’s expected and that’s what’s demanded all the time.
‘So, yes, it didn’t take them long. A few of the other lads might have been taken a little bit aback by some of the hairdryers at times but I guess it’s what was needed. I think the boys have responded really well to it.’
Butland and McGregor had crossed paths briefly before. The Englishman arrived at Ibrox in the summer of 2023 as a high-profile recruit from the Premier League, effectively signed to be McGregor’s replacement as the Scot slipped into retirement.
Sufficient time was spent on the training pitch ahead of McGregor’s testimonial match against Newcastle United for a bond to be formed between the men that has been reignited with McGregor back at the club as interim goalkeeping coach.
Butland celebrates Rangers’ recent derby victory at Celtic Park
Goalkeeping coach Allan McGregor puts Butland through his paces
‘I think it’s been brilliant,’ said Butland. ‘Our relationship has developed over my time here, with Allan retiring and then having a few rounds of golf here and there. We’ve had a friendship outside of football. So, for them to bring him back in now is really enjoyable.
‘I think he’s just as nervous as anybody. He wants to come and do a great job. But for me, there’s nobody better to have around. Not just because of what he achieved but he also understands what I might be going through and what it’s like as a Rangers player, as a Rangers goalkeeper. So the relationship is a really, really good one.
‘He’s not trying to change anything. I believe I’m a top goalkeeper and I hope that he sees that. For us, it’s just about bouncing off each other and just existing and enjoying each other’s company, working hard and training hard.
‘He’s still a very charismatic and very determined person. He’s someone who is very selective with his words and when he chooses to use them. But he’s a fantastic character. He’s just the way he is. Very genuine, very honest. It’s a pleasure to work with him.’
Butland has endured a topsy-turvy season on an individual level with a few errors creeping in, compared to his first year at the club when he looked almost infallible. But his self-belief has not wavered despite that.
‘It’s been a difficult one, purely because of where we’re at as a team,’ he added. ‘Yes, there have been moments where I would have liked to have done better. Sometimes you get away with them, sometimes you don’t. But I know there have been big moments too. I know there have been big performances that have helped us.’
