Rangers interim head coach Barry Ferguson has delivered a stark warning to his struggling squad, predicting they could suffer a “heavy defeat” in their upcoming clashes with Fenerbahce and Celtic after a humbling 2-1 loss to Motherwell at Ibrox.
The Light Blues were outplayed in a dismal first half, with Motherwell storming into a two-goal lead before the half-hour mark.
Although Rangers talisman Cyriel Dessers got one back in the second half, it was too little, too late, leaving Ferguson furious at his side’s application and effort.
Speaking post-match, the former Rangers captain pulled no punches in his assessment, making it clear that a repeat performance versus tougher opposition could spell disaster.
“It’s clear they will suffer a heavy defeat,” Ferguson admitted. “I’m not going to sit here and try and kid people on. That level of performance, certainly in the first half, is nowhere near the standards that are needed.”
The defeat has come at the worst possible time for Rangers, who must now regroup ahead of a crucial Europa League Round of 16 double-header against Fenerbahce before facing their biggest rivals, Celtic, in the Scottish Premiership.
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Ferguson, who has been tasked with steadying the ship after taking interim charge following Philippe Clement’s recent sacking, acknowledged the severity of the situation but vowed to work tirelessly to address the glaring issues in his team’s display.
“It's my job now in this short period of time and I'm going to just go and work my backside off to make sure this gets sorted,” he added.
“I spoke to them in the dressing room, they understand it. Listen, Rangers fans can accept you not playing well. What Rangers fans can't accept is when your team gets run over the top of in the first 45 minutes.”
Rangers were outmuscled and outthought by a determined Motherwell side, who took control early and rarely looked troubled despite a late push from the hosts.
Ferguson admitted his side’s first-half collapse was unacceptable, particularly given the standards expected at Ibrox.
Rangers were also 2-0 down early on against Kilmarnock in midweek but managed to turn the game around to win on that occasion.
He continued: “I said on Friday, when you're playing at Ibrox, you need to be the dominant force. Motherwell dominated us in the first half. Did we dominate them in the second half? At times, but not enough.”
