BARRY FERGUSON STRIPPED OF CAPTAINCY

[Number9]

Breaking news: Paul Le Guen has stripped Barry Ferguson of the Rangers captaincy and claimed he may never play for Rangers again. This has lost PLG a mass of support within the Rangers crowd. What a joke. Rangers is in meltdown.

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Rangers | Gers strip Ferguson of captaincy

[LAF]

Well Baz has obviously said something he shouldn't have. PLG is a strong character (abit like SAF) and it's his way or the door.

[LAF]

Paul Le Guen says he stripped Barry Ferguson from the captaincy knowing that he has put his own future as Rangers manager on the line.

But he told BBC Sport that he had been frustrated that the Scotland skipper was not following his instructions.

"I have been patient, but I know what is good for the team," said Le Guen after the 1-0 victory over Motherwell.

Asked whether Ferguson would now be sold, he said: "It remains to be seen. It depends on my own situation."

The decision has stunned fans and some protested inside and outside Fir Park against the dropping of such a Rangers diehard.

"Fans must be aware that it's not a whim," said Le Guen.

"I realise that the situation of the manager is often precarious.

"But Rangers are more important than Paul Le Guen and more important than Barry Ferguson."

Le Guen suggested that Ferguson had not been setting the right example to the team.

He and the midfielder have recently fallen out about the importance of the captaincy, which the 28-year-old held so proudly.

Le Guen had also been angry that Ferguson had arranged a Christmas night out for the players against his wishes.

But he insisted said that the Scotland captain would be asked to continue to train with the first-team in an attempt to win his place back.

However, it may be no coincidence that the decision was taken at the opening of the January transfer window.

Gavin Rae, who has been a fringe player at Ibrox, captained Rangers against Motherwell.

"He is clever and puts the team first," explained Le Guen.

"Barry is talented and I know that the captain I had was less talented and that we had a less talented team, but I know it was the right decision.

"We showed great team spirit against Motherwell and that does not surprise me as we have good guys in the team."

It is yet unclear whether Rangers chairman David Murray knew of Le Guen's decision.

However, Murray has flown back from France to hold crisis talks with Ferguson.

It is understood that the player left Monday's meeting with Le Guen in tears.

It appears that views between the Frenchman and Ferguson became heated after the midfielder was told he was being dropped for the visit to Fir Park.

Ferguson then refused to train with the first-team squad and asked for a black bag with which to gather his belongings.

Former Rangers striker Billy Dodds knows Ferguson well.

"Barry turned up for training, put his training gear on and was summoned to the manager's office," said Dodds.

"He was told he would never play for Rangers again as long as Le Guen was manager.

"Barry asked the reason why and was told he just did not get on with him - and that's incredible.

"In football, you have to play with people you don't get on with for the good of the team."

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Rangers | Le Guen defends Ferguson decision

[LAF]

Barry Ferguson could remain with Rangers despite losing the captaincy and his place in the first team, says his agent John Viola.

"Anything can happen in football, every relationship can be repaired," Viola told Five Live Sport.

Viola held talks with the Rangers chairman Sir David Murray on Wednesday to explore Ferguson's future at Ibrox.

Viola added: "We had discussions and we'll be discussing the scenario over the next few days."

Ferguson was axed from the team and stripped of the captain's armband for the 1-0 win at Motherwell.

Rangers manager Paul Le Guen claimed after Tuesday's stormy encounter at Fir Park that he had no choice but to drop Ferguson after being undermined in the dressing room.

With Gavin Rae taking over the captaincy of the Glasgow club, the 28-year-old could be poised to exit Rangers, with a number of Premiership clubs rumoured to be interested.

"As soon as we can sit around the table and get everything concluded the better," said Viola.

"Barry wants to stay at Rangers - he's made that abundantly clear to everyone.

"If it doesn't work out, the next step would be to speak to other clubs, but we haven't spoken to anyone because he's still under contract to Rangers."

Viola added: "He's extremely unhappy and pretty gutted about the whole scenario."

Earlier, Viola revealed how the deposed Rangers captain felt "physically sick" when he was axed by Le Guen.

"Barry has been left feeling sick by what has happened to him after his meeting with the manager," said Viola.

"I've already had calls from two people at the highest level of other clubs concerning Barry's future but I want to talk to the Rangers hierarchy first of all."

Meanwhile, Ferguson's brother, Derek, who played for Rangers in the 1980s, says that Le Guen's action has taken his sibling by surprise.

"Barry is totally shocked by what's happened and is struggling to come to terms with it," he told BBC Sport Scotland.

"He is very proud to be the captain of Rangers and he didn't see this coming at all.

"The only other time I've seen him this down was when he had his bad knee injury at Blackburn Rovers.

"Barry is aggressive on the park and in the dressing room, and you tend to get that from captains and leaders in Scottish football.

"He only wants 100% from everyone," added the Stranraer assistant manager.

"But now it's really down to Barry to try and sort out the situation with John Viola, Paul le Guen and Sir David Murray."

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Rangers | Ferguson 'could stay with Gers'