Rangers chief executive Patrick Stewart has said a “football review” is taking place across the club after Ibrox legend Barry Ferguson was named as Philippe Clement’s successor for the rest of the season.
Former Rangers captain Ferguson’s coaching team will include Clement’s assistant manager, Issame Charai, and Neil McCann, Billy Dodds and Allan McGregor, with his first game in charge at Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday (8pm GMT).
In their first home game since being knocked out of the Scottish Cup by second-tier Queen’s Park on February 9, the 55-time champions were beaten 2-0 by St Mirren on Saturday to leave them 13 points behind leaders and bitter rivals Celtic and spell the end of Clement’s 14-month reign.
Clement sacking: Rangers’ ‘deep concern’
“I was clear that everyone is judged on results and nobody will get unlimited time in any role at the club,” Stewart told Rangers’ website.
“Ultimately, the team’s response following their early exit from the Scottish Cup was a cause for deep concern, leading the board to conclude that action had to be taken now.
“I want to reiterate: the issues we are facing run deeper than the manager. The ongoing football review seeks to address those issues, and we will continue to implement its findings in the coming weeks and months ahead of appointing a new permanent manager.”
Barry Ferguson record
Ferguson won the league, Scottish Cup and League Cup five times each across two spells at Ibrox, first playing for the club between 1997 and 2003 and returning from 2005 until 2009.
The 47-year-old resigned from his last coaching role, at third-tier Alloa Athletic, in February 2022 after winning nine of his 33 matches in charge.
After a brief spell as Blackpool manager in the EFL Championship in 2014, winning three of the 20 games he oversaw, Ferguson spent almost three years each at Clyde and Kelty Hearts.
He reached the Scottish fourth tier play-off final with Clyde and won promotion from the Lowland League and fourth tier with Kelty.
“I want to wish Philippe every success in the future,” said Stewart, who was appointed in December 2024. “He is a fine man whom I have enjoyed working with in my short time here.
“I also want to welcome Barry back to the club. We appreciate him and his team stepping into the role at this difficult time. Myself, the board and the executive team will give them our full support for the rest of the campaign.”
