BARRY FERGUSON said he felt privileged to take over at Rangers when he signed on as interim boss last month.
But Gordon Strachan says he’ll just be feeling LUCKY right now.
Barry Ferguson led Rangers to an historic win over Fenerbahce – their first in Istanbul[/caption]
Gordon Strachan said he just felt lucky when he defeated Sir Alex Ferguson and Barry Ferguson would be feeling the same[/caption]
He was well impressed by Rangers’ display in Istanbul last week[/caption]
The Ibrox legend signed on as caretaker until the end of the season alongside a coaching staff of Billy Dodds, Neil McCann and Allan McGregor.
But a massive result against Fenerbahce did his long-term prospects no harm at all.
However Strachan insists the Rangers boss won’t be getting carried away, despite defeating one of the best in the business in Jose Mourinho, last week.
The Special One has thrown down the gauntlet to his side at the return leg at Ibrox and told them they are a better team than Rangers – and now they must show it.
They were on the back of an 18-game unbeaten streak but Strachan says it’s more about what the result gives to the stars of the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium than the boss’ job hopes.
He said: “It’s the confidence it gives the players, I think.
“Your reason would be if you beat an Alex Ferguson or a Kevin Keegan like I did in my first results for Coventry, you don’t think, oh, I’m better than them. You think nothing like that.
“You think you got lucky, and some of the players played exceptionally.
“But it’s what it gives the players, that’s the thing.
“Then they look at you and, because whatever you’ve done in football, there’s a point where they go, ‘Right, okay, you’ve done a lot in football, but what are you like as a manager?’
“You can have all the licenses and all the rest in the world, but management, it’s all about man management and your persona and how you make people feel and the discipline and all the rest there.
“Having all those licenses in the world doesn’t make you a great manager. Having no licence doesn’t make you a great manager. So, you’re judged on what you do.”
Ferguson started at the bottom with rookie boss roles at Clyde, Kelty Hearts and worked his way up to Alloa before a break from the dugout.
However he resumed his role as Gers leader and returned to the front-line until the end of the season when Philippe Clement was sacked.
He didn’t see an immediate bounce either as first Rangers fought back from 2-0 down to defeat Kilmarnock and then fell at home to Motherwell, compounding shock Ibrox reverses to St Mirren and Queen‘s Park under Clement’s tenure.
But winning in Istanbul for the first time was a definite highlight and ex-Celtic boss Strachan praised his one-time Old Firm rival.
He added: “It was a terrific performance.
“It wasn’t just the goalie doing brilliantly. They well and truly were the better team.
“Listen, over the last couple of years they’ve done really well in Europe. They’ve done tremendously well.
“Kris Boyd said that if they could play every game on Thursday, they’d be some team. Saturday seems to be a problem, but Thursday’s brilliant.”
Rangers face Fenerbahce in the second leg on Thursday night. Kick off at sold-out Ibrox Stadium, is 8pm.
