BARRY FERGUSON made a stunning return to Rangers as head coach this week after Philippe Clement’s Sunday night sacking.
The Ibrox legend brought a host of experienced figures in to assist him – as well as one Gers hero with NO coaching experience.
Allan McGregor is back at Rangers as a coach[/caption]
He departed Ibrox as a player in 2023[/caption]
Steven Naismith and McGregor were Rangers teammates for five years[/caption]
It was a whirlwind couple of days at Rangers with Clement’s tenure finally being consigned to history.
Light Blues chiefs finally decided enough was enough after Saturday’s dire 2-0 home defeat to St Mirren.
That decision came on Sunday night and a new man was at the helm by Monday afternoon.
Former Rangers captain Barry Ferguson made a shock return to the club, taking over as boss until the end of the season.
Just two days later, he led the Gers to a remarkable comeback win over Kilmarnock, emerging victorious 4-2 at Rugby Park.
Ferguson, who last coached in 2022, brought several familiar faces in to assist him.
As well as the last remaining coach from the Clement era, Issame Charai, Ferguson added Rangers heroes Neil McCann and Billy Dodds to his coaching team.
There was also the addition of legendary former Gers goalkeeper Allan McGregor.
The 43-year old has kept a low profile since his second spell as a Rangers player ended at the end of the 2022/23 season.
So little was heard from McGregor who didn’t actually ever announce an official retirement.
The title-winning keeper’s appointment as a coach raised a few eyebrows, especially as it was his very first coaching role.
One man who was certainly surprised to see McGregor land the gig was former Rangers teammate Steven Naismith.
The duo were teammates for five years at Ibrox between 2007 and 2012 but Naisy revealed he never saw his former No1 as the coaching type!
But despite McGregor’s lack of coaching experience – or even desire – Naismith isn’t surprised to see Ferguson call upon him.
Appearing on The Warm Up, Naismith said: “I definitely didn’t!
“I can understand why Barry brings him in because of his association with the club, he’s again talking about the desire, and saying ‘this is what it takes to play with Rangers.’
“You’re probably not going to get someone who’s more , more Rangers minded than the goalie, so I can understand it.
“I don’t think he ever showed, in any time you would speak to him as a player…”
Former Celtic goalkeeper David Marshall was also on the show and he thinks the Gers job and the immediate top class opportunity it brings could ‘spark’ McGregor’s coaching ambitions into life.
Marshall said: “I think for Alan, this is just me speaking, how I see it. I think he would like to go in at that level.
“It’s an amazing opportunity, it’s very rare in life, especially in football, you have to work your way up but he’s probably earned the right for that with his career, and he knows exactly what it takes to be in there, but to go in at first-team level is an amazing opportunity, and it might just spark him into being that obsessive coach that you have to be to make it work.”
Johan Mjällby, David Marshall and Steven Naismith appeared on The Warm-Up, the William Hill SPFL’s weekly preview show. Check out the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/@TheWarm__Up
Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
