Baz hopes it'll be second time lucky

18 July 2009 09:26
It's the end of an era as Barry Ferguson leaves Rangers for the English Premier League for a second time.[LNB]Unlike last time though, there is no prospect of him returning to Ibrox no matter how he fares at Birmingham under Alex McLeish.[LNB]But despite receiving a fee of just £1.25million, why are the majority of Gers fans rejoicing at the news of Fergie's departure?[LNB]How has a man who won 15 trophies since bursting onto the scene in 1997 managed to turn the bulk of the support against him?[LNB]Some simply did not ever forgive him for walking out on the club during the financial crisis of 2003 for Blackburn two days after the Gers qualified for the Champions League and two days before the transfer deadline. A fact Ferguson acknowledged in his autobiography.[LNB]Meanwhile some have always questioned his suitability for the captaincy role given incidents like the 'Battle of Bothwell', the Paul Le Guen fall-out and, of course, the 'Boozegate' incident with Allan McGregor and his subsequent actions caught on camera at Hampden.[LNB]But for the majority, he simply did not produce the goods on the field often enough since his return from Ewood Park to Ibrox in 2005.[LNB]For a transfer fee of £4.5million (that was the price according to Rangers, although Ferguson claims otherwise in his autobiography) and wages of approximately £25-30,000 per week, his performances post-2005 did not reach the heights expected of him under McLeish, Le Guen or Walter Smith.[LNB]There were flashes of brilliance though. The 3-0 demolition of Celtic in October 2007 was probably the last top-class performance Ferguson produced in royal blue. [LNB]His Champions League performances against Porto and Villarreal the previous season showed he could still turn it on at the very top level and there were glimpses of his quality too as Rangers marched to the UEFA Cup final in 2008.[LNB]But it can surely be no coincidence that Rangers won 10 out of 11 games - including eight wins in a row, a run of form they hadn't come close to all season - following 'Boozegate' when Ferguson lost the captaincy and his place in the team.[LNB]And when he returned to make his first start in almost two months, he and Lee McCulloch were out-fought and out-thought by the Falkirk midfield in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden.[LNB]That wasn't a one-off either, with Ferguson being outshone and outplayed in many of his games pre-'Boozegate'.[LNB]In time, fans will remember him for his 17 goals from midfield in the 2002-03 campaign and his fantastic performances against some of the best sides in Europe prior to that.[LNB]And in the future, talk of Ferguson may almost automatically lead to thoughts of his superb free-kick that led the Rangers fightback against Celtic in the 2002 Scottish Cup final.[LNB]But for now, the mention of Ferguson to many Gers fans brings only negative connotations.[LNB]So what exactly are Birmingham getting?[LNB]Well, despite his poor form in recent times, a move may be just what Ferguson needs to get back to the top of his game.[LNB]Blues boss McLeish is right when he says Fergie has a point to prove. [LNB]He will want to prove he can cope in the Premier League after a troubled time at Blackburn and, of course, to the Gers fans who have written him off.[LNB]Certainly his experience will count for something. [LNB]His 45 Scotland caps and over 80 appearances in Europe (the most for a Scottish club) may prove vital in Birmingham's bid to avoid relegation.[LNB]Perhaps playing against top opposition week in, week out will bring out the best in him? Though based on his recent form, especially in the last year, it's hard to know what his "best" actually is now.[LNB]He was never the quickest of players but seemed to be well off the pace on a number of occasions last season, even in run-of-the-mill SPL games.[LNB]And even though he was, for me, up there with the best passers of the ball in Britain circa 2002, he often struggles to keep possession, often attempting to play 'World Cup' balls he is no longer capable of producing.[LNB]Apart from 02-03 when he took penalties, Ferguson has never been a major goal threat - he has just three in his last 57 games in all competitions - and he is certainly not much of a tackler or a physical presence.[LNB]Ferguson will go down as one of the most decorated and most talented Scottish players not only his generation but of any era.[LNB]Unfortunately he will most likely also join the long list of those who failed to make the most of his talent in the game.[LNB]But Ferguson is still only 31 - he has a few years left in him yet if his knees hold up - and if he excels at St Andrews, he may avoid the "What might have been" category.[LNB]I wouldn't bet on it though.[LNB][LNB]

Source: Team_Talk