Barry Ferguson urges Rangers players to ‘go and enjoy themselves’ after Celtic win and provides update on Ibrox future

BARRY FERGUSON urged his Rangers heroes to celebrate in style after their first Old Firm away win in FIVE YEARS.

Hamza Igamane scored a sensational late winner to inflict derby misery on Brendan Rodgers.

PA

Barry Ferguson wants Rangers to savour the moment of their first win at Celtic Park in five years[/caption]

Reuters

There were nervy moments for the Ibrox interim boss as his side threw away a two-goal advantage[/caption]

Getty

But Hamza Igamane’s late winner sent the travelling support wild and sealed Ferguson’s first derby win[/caption]

And Ibrox caretaker boss Fergie has revealed he has given his squad extra time off to go and enjoy the result.

He said: “It’s certainly a good feeling, coming to your fiercest rivals and deserving to win the game. 

“So I just said to the players, ‘listen, go and enjoy the next couple of days because it’s been a long time,’ I think five years. 

“If you look at the game overall, we deserved it. 

“I thought the first half, that was the game plan we came with. 

“I thought the boys stuck to it perfectly. 

“The second half, you always know Celtic are going to come at you because the crowd is getting frustrated. 

“I thought Brendan would make a change or two and he certainly did that which made a difference to the Celtic team. 

“They obviously get back into the game at 2-2.

“But then I take a step back and what I’ve been trying to drum into the boys – you need more at Rangers than being a good player. 

“It’s been levelled by everybody in the media about character. 

“This is one of the things I stress to them when I come in: it takes a certain time to be a very good Rangers player.

“My group of players are certainly starting to show that.”

Nicolas Raskin fired Gers ahead after four minutes.

Mohamed Diomande then made it 2-0 before half-time.

Celts hit back to level the game with two goals from Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate.

But Igamane struck in 88 minutes to seal the win.

And Fergie added: “It’s easy to feel sorry for yourself. 

“But I’m not accepting people feeling sorry for themselves. 

“Again, it was a big challenge for them. 

“I put it on them yesterday to come here and put a performance on. 

“They certainly did that, I’ve got to give them huge credit. 

“I’ve said it over the last couple of games, they’re starting to build a wee bit of momentum and that’s important. 

“I thought overall, [we were] worthy of the three points.

“In the second half I needed to then make a few changes because there’s a few tired legs, a few people struggling. 

“But I trust every single player I’ve got in the squad. 

“I need competition for places. 

“Did I fear that we could lose the game? No, again, I’ll say I take a step back and I think, right, go and show me what you’ve got in the locker. 

“What they’ve got in the locker is coming back into the game and getting a wee goal from Hamza, who will be disappointed because he’s not been playing. 

“I think he’s a player with huge potential, but he needs to work on certain things and he wants to be a starter. 

“He’s certainly taken that on board and he’s come on and he’s given me an issue now.”

Like the touchline water-bottle celebrations that soaked Celtic supporters, for Barry Ferguson, being Rangers boss has been a skoosh.

Just don’t think for one minute the former club captain has started to dream he’s got the gig for keeps.

He’s been nothing but consistent throughout the Ibrox team’s inconsistency, and said time and again how the next few weeks and months are NOT about him.

You wonder if the incoming US investors will soon see it differently, especially with money man Andrew Cavenagh witnessing the wins over Fenerbahce and now Celtic.

But for Fergie, NOTHING has changed.

He said: “I’ve got a contract till the end of May. 

“I’m not even thinking about anything else, if I’m being honest with you.

“I’m thinking just make sure I go on a good run with this group of player.

“I want to keep trying to improve every single day we’re in training.

“And then, come the end of May, I’ll be away on a family holiday.

“Honestly, if you know me and anybody who’s close to me, I don’t think further ahead than my contract. 

“I’ve got a job to to come in here and sort a few issues.

“Slowly but surely, myself and the coaching staff, and everybody who’s still in at the club, we’re going in the right direction.

“But there’s still a lot of things that we can improve on as a group of players, but also within the training centre, and that’s something that we’re desperate to do.”

Asked what it meant to him to get the derby win, he added: “I’ve not even had time to think. 

“I’m just praising the players, it’s nothing to do with me.

“It’s all about the guys in there because it’s been a difficult season for them, and it’s a lot of change for them as well. 

“A new manager coming in, a new coaching staff and a totally different way of approaching training and games. 

“And I’ve got to give them credit, I’m delighted they took it on board and they’re a really good group of boys. 

“But what I’m starting to see is a real togetherness, and that’s what you need – not just the playing staff, I’m talking about the staff at the training centre now. 

“We need to try and get that connection back, I’m starting to get it with the fans and that was one of my driving forces when I came in. 

“I just felt that was missing, and slowly but surely, we’re starting to see that get back together.

“The fans drove the team on as well – it’s a big help, there’s no doubt about that, having that away support. 

“I say to the players, every time you win a game, make sure you celebrate it. 

“That’s what it’s all about, that’s why you play football. 

“And we’ll go away, and they’ll wake up tomorrow, and that’s in the past now, we need to look forward to the next game in a couple of weeks.”

Ferguson just loved being out there and part of the biggest derby in Scotland again.

He added: “It’s different, because if you’re on the pitch, you can affect it. 

“I don’t think they can hear me at the side because obviously it’s noisy.

“And I think they’re probably happy with that because you can probably hear my voice is gone! 

“But listen, it was a brilliant experience to come here and lead a Rangers team and stand at the touchline.

“I’ve got to be honest with you, I’ll keep coming back to it, I’m proud of the way that they went about their business.

“After 120 minutes on Thursday night, I thought we finished the game actually stronger than Celtic, and that’s credit to the way that the players look after themselves, and also the staff and behind the scenes who look after the boys.”

Ferguson kicked just about every ball out on the touchline – he was virtually man-marked by fourth official Don Robertson and was even booked by referee Steven McLean for overstepping the mark.

He added: “I don’t know why I got booked. 

“It’s a small technical area and I know you’ve got to stay within it, so maybe I got carried away with a yard or two out, but I was disappointed with that. 

“I didn’t see the reason why the ref had to come over and give me a yellow card. 

“I said that to the fourth official, I’m disappointed in that because I didn’t see the reason why he gave me it, if I’m being honest.”

One of Ferguson’s biggest heroes was midfielder Nico Raskin, who scored the early opener.

But the Ibrox caretaker boss played DOWN the Belgian’s all action display.

Asked how to rate his performance, he added “Good, but it can get better, it can get better. 

“His positional sense needs to get better, but he’s a boy who is desperate to learn and I love that in players. 

“I say to him, listen, you can still be learning at 36, 37. 

“When I retired, I was still learning things in the game. 

“He’s got a lot of things to work on, but one thing he’s got is he’s prepared to do that and he’s prepared to listen. 

“I think since I took over the job, he’s been a real driving force in the middle of the pitch.”

When it came to the celebrations at the Igamane winner, which saw Vaclav Cerny and Nedim Bajrami squirt their water bottles into the home fans as they sprinted up the touchline, Ferguson didn’t know anything about it.

But he is just glad HE wasn’t involved.

He added: “I was concentrating on making sure that I come up with information to see the game out. 

“I’m just glad I wasn’t involved – I’ve got to try and focus on my team, and that’s what I was doing.”

Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page