AliousRangers managed to pull off a dramatic comeback in a match that, prior to the interim manager’s arrival, they likely would have lost. However, the temporary Ibrox boss was far from pleased and issued a stern warning to his squad, pointing out that they must sharpen up.
He expressed frustration over “old habits” resurfacing in their performance, particularly as they twice found themselves trailing by two goals against Dundee at Dens Park.
The hosts nearly sealed the game when Simon Murray struck the post in the first minute of stoppage time, which would have put them ahead 4-3.
But Cyriel Dessers snatched a last-gasp winner for Rangers two minutes later, sparking celebrations among the fans, who chanted for manager Ferguson at the final whistle.
Despite the victory, Ferguson was critical of his team’s display for much of the match. Rangers fell 2-0 behind within the first 20 minutes and were down 3-1 just past the hour mark.
Late strikes from James Tavernier and substitute Tom Lawrence paved the way for a thrilling, chaotic conclusion. “I had to shake things up at half-time—switched a couple of players and tweaked the formation from a three to a four to try to jolt us into gear,” Ferguson explained.
“The second half was more like it, but we were still handing out far too many chances and conceding soft goals. We got sloppy at times. I told them afterward that we’ve got a big week of work ahead. We need to sit down, review everything, and put in some serious effort on the training pitch because I saw a lot I didn’t like.
That said, one thing about this group is they don’t quit. People have thrown that label at them for a while now, but five or six weeks ago, Rangers would’ve walked away with nothing from a game like this.
The team I’ve got now, my players, I’ve hammered that fight into them. Still, we’ve got to improve massively in other areas—especially how we start matches. I warned them what to expect coming here, but we gifted Dundee a head start. We were careless, off the pace.”
Ferguson continued, “We clawed one back before the break, went in at half-time, and I didn’t hold back with a few sharp words. I had to make some tough calls— I’m not afraid to do that, and they know it. In the end, it’s a fantastic three points, but there’s still a ton of work ahead.”
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