theRangers interim manager Barry Ferguson reacts during the Scottish Premiership match between theRangers FC and Motherwell FC at Ibrox on March 01, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Q: Barry Ferguson has obviously gone in there as caretaker. He’s mixed things up a little bit. He’s changed formation. He’s changed personnel. What have you made of Barry Ferguson as Rangers manager? Do you think it will be a different test to the one you faced at Ibrox in January because of the changes he’s made?
Brendan Rodgers: “Listen, I don’t know Barry, but I know him as a player. And I know that he’s gone in and he’ll have a great connection with his supporters. His history at the club, his success at the club. He was a fantastic player for them. For me, if I look purely at the coaching aspect of it, over the course of four games, I don’t see great change. I see the team go 2-0 down against Kilmarnock and come back and win. I see the team lose at home to Motherwell. I see the team go away and get a fantastic result at Fenerbahce. And then I see the team lose last night 2-0 over 90 minutes, but win the tie. I’ve seen the team change the system. Absolutely, a really good tactical change to go 5-4-1 at Fenerbahce. But I still see a lot of the same traits. I think you can probably look at Barry over a longer time. If you’re talking to me about coaching and managing, and you’re talking tactics and management and professionalism and these things, that will be done over a period of time.
“If you’re looking at the short term and him coming in as someone the fans can connect with, of course he looks very happy to be in the job and taking the job, him and his staff. But I think if you’re talking coaching, I see a lot of the same traits. Some very good performances, some inconsistencies, and Barry will see that. Neil and his staff, I’m pretty sure as well. And then over the course of time, they’ll look to change that. But whether he was in for four games or 40 games, a Celtic-(the)Rangers game will always be a tough game. Or a (the)Rangers-Celtic game, whatever way you look at it. But it will always be a tough game.”
Adam Idah of Celtic celebrates after scoring to give them a 2-0 lead Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Gas Scottish Cup, Quarter Final, Celtic Park, – 09 March 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock
Q: When you see theRangers getting through to the quarter-finals last night, they’ve been in quite a few really good runs in the Europa League, obviously. Does that underline how consistent the attitude that Celtic have had over the last few years? Because to be as dominant as you are domestically against a team that is capable of producing these results in Europe, does that underline that this team, this squad, has got this professionalism, this focus that you talk about as well?
Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, I think it’s congratulations to (the)Rangers, firstly, to get to the quarter-final. I think that people will look in at what Celtic do and see it as being easy. But it’s not easy. You play here, you manage here. It’s high pressure. Every game is a must-win game. That mentality. And like you say, a team, one of our rivals who has done well in Europe, and like you say, get to the quarter-finals, then it shows the consistency and mentality of this team. And how well they’ve been doing. But no, I think we’re very focused on our own selves. And we want to be able to bring our performance to the game at the weekend, and to see if we can extend our lead.”
Daizen Maeda of Celtic is seen during the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Quarter-Final match between Celtic and Hibernian at Celtic Park on March 09, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
