Brendan Rodgers damning Barry Ferguson with faint praise

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The Celtic Star

·3 May 2025

Brendan Rodgers damning Barry Ferguson with faint praise

Brendan Rodgers yesterday admitted that he doesn’t know Barry Ferguson as their paths never crossed until recently when the football pundit and former Rangers FC captain was appointed as interim manager after the sacking of the Belgian Waffler, Philippe Clement…

Barry Ferguson, Interim Manager of theRangers, celebrates with backroom staff after Mohamed Diomande scored the team’s second goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and theRangers at Celtic Park on March 16, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Barry Ferguson made a dream start what might turn out to be a two-match rivalry with the Celtic boss, winning last month’s Scottish Premiership match at Celtic Park 3-2. Tomorrow could be Ferguson’s last Glasgow Derby in charge of the 2012 founded football club and if he’s not getting the job on a permanent basis then he’ll be determined to go out with a 100% record against Rodgers and become the first Ibrox boss ever to get the better of Brendan.

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Both managers attended the Glasgow Cup Final at Firhill on Tuesday night

Rodgers, who met Ferguson at Firhill on Tuesday night at the Glasgow Cup Final, was yesterday asked for his thoughts on Ferguson and amid the nice words there’s an indication that the interim Ibrox boss is not really up to speed with the modern game and the current generation of players.

theRangers interim manager Barry Ferguson reacts during the Scottish Premiership match between theRangers FC and Motherwell FC at Ibrox on March 01, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Here’s what Brendan Rodgers had to say about Ferguson in his time as interim manager of theRangers.

“Listen, I think it’s been a difficult one for Barry to come into. I think what Barry has done is he has helped connect the supporters and the club. He’s a player who had a great career there (at Ibrox).

‘It’s a different generation of player that you’re working with’

“The challenge for Barry to start coming in is that it’s a different generation of player that you’re working with to when they would have played and even coached a number of years back.

UEFA Cup final, FC Zenit St. Petersburg v Rangers Season: 2007/2008 Glasgow Rangers Barry Ferguson disappointed Photo BOB VANxDEN CRUIJSEM

“So the generation of player now is totally different and obviously they’ll demand a greater standard and a greater consistency. I said before that you look at it over a period of time and you would say that it’s probably pretty much the same.

theRangers supporters can connect with Barry Ferguson

“Some really good European performances, a wee bit up and down in the league but I think the difference being that at least theRangers supporters, they can connect with Barry when he’s saying it and speaking it. I thought he spoke really well and very honest in his appraisal of his team. Then the fans can at least connect with that as, sort of one of their own really. So that’s where they’re at.

Barry Ferguson, theRangers vs Fenerbahçe, Ibrox, Europea League, 13 March 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

“I think we’ve seen that they’ve played well in games and like I say other games that they would have wanted to have done better in. But for us really we have to go in and perform in this game.”

Charmingly devastating from the Celtic manager

Reading between the lines Brendan seems to be damning Ferguson with faint praise. Charmingly devastating from the Celtic manager.

Listen to Brendan Rodgers’ media conference below…

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