Barry Ferguson has Rangers response ready and waiting for doubting pundits (2025)

Ferguson wasn't interested in criticisms of his team selection for the 2-2 thriller at Pittodrie

Barry Ferguson has insisted he didn’t have one eye on Athletic Club and he put out a Rangers team he felt could win at Aberdeen.

Pundit and Record Sport columnist Chris Sutton had criticised his starting XI on television.

The Light Blues had to come back from 2-0 behind and with 10 men to salvage a point, thanks to goals from Hamza Igamane and Ianis Hagi.

Celtic could have won the title had Rangers not fought back and delayed the celebrations of their title rivals for another couple of weeks.

Rangers can now focus on their trip to the San Mames and their winner-takes-all tie for a place in the Europa League semi-finals on Thursday night.

Ferguson made nine changes from the team who drew 0-0 at Ibrox against the La Liga outfit. He handed young Findlay Curtis his starting debut, Rafael Fernandes his second start and Oscar Cortes started his first game of the year.

Ferguson then brought on a number of his big names players and the introduction of Hagi, James Tavernier, Cyriel Dessers, Mohamed Diomonde and Jefte to salvage a Pittodrie point.

Ferguson claimed: “Look, I have no issue. Everybody has an opinion. When people say things like that, I don't really take an interest. I’ve got a decision to make.

“I’m carrying a lot of injuries. There were a number of players having to be left behind. There were actually a number of players on the bench that probably I shouldn't have had on the bench.

“So, I've got decisions to make as a manager. But the team that I put out in my mind, in my opinion, was good enough to come up here and try and get the team points.”

The visitors were left with a mountain to climb after Ross McCausland was sent off. He admitted the young winger will learn from this and maybe he should have taken him off earlier. Ferguson acknowledged: “It was a silly sending off.

“I spoke to young Ross about it. He understands that when you get a yellow card you can't make a challenge.

“I’ve no complaints about the second yellow, but maybe I should be looking at that when they did get the first yellow. I was thinking in my mind that I maybe make a change, but listen, I didn't.

“Ross got sent off and then we have to go back to what we did on Thursday night. A good comeback from our point of view.

“I had to make a few changes at half-time and I thought those changes certainly kicked us on a bit. Overall, I'm never really happy drawing again, but under the circumstances we've got to get back down the road.”

Rangers know keeping their discipline and shape will be key in Bilbao. The boss stated: “I questioned the character and the desire. We all know what happened on Monday. Certainly, the last two games have shown that they've certainly got that.

“We've got to play better, but we've got to try and keep 11 men on the pitch. That's becoming a recurring theme. So if we have 11 men on the pitch, then we'll get a better chance of winning games.”

Ferguson also insisted a number of Sunday's starters had also been chapping on his door looking for an opportunity. He claimed: “No, I always had it in my mind because people have been chatting my door and asking me for an opportunity. They got an opportunity today.

“It wasn't ideal when you go out to ten men, it doesn't suit some players. So then I have to make the changes to get midfielders in who are kind of used to being behind the ball. I had it in my mind that I was going to make a few changes, some weren't forceful.

“Obviously, suffering a few injuries on Thursday night, but that's the reason why you carry a squad. That's the reason why I wanted to give some players the opportunity. It wasn't a case of coming up here and this was a dead game. It wasn't a dead game in my mind.

“It was coming up to Aberdeen and we know what it's like up here. I was coming up here to win and unfortunately we didn't get that three points.”

Connor Barron started as captain on his return to Aberdeen. “Yes, listen, the wee man can handle that,” his manager claimed.

“He knows what he was going to come in for in terms of getting a bit of stagnant. I remember that he'd done a very good job at Aberdeen.

“The fact that he wanted to better his career and go to the Rangers. I thought he handled the occasion well, obviously.

“He's got some things in his game that he understands he has to work at. I think if he works at them and he gets better at them, he'll become an all-round better midfielder.”

There were some agony exchanges between Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie and Rangers sub John Souttar after the game. Ferguson also got involved but he claimed to pull his player away.

He explained: “It was a bit of handbags. No, it's life, it's a bit feisty.

"After the game I don't mind a bit of feisty things going on. I just told him, John, just to leave it. It was the point to get involved with him and the big man just stepped away.

“That's it, but I have no issues with that. People are passionate, I like to see a bit of passion. I think that's something that's missing in the modern game at times.”