Danny Rohl set to bring controversial ex- Rangers star back to club as his assistant manager
In a seismic shift at Ibrox, Danny Röhl, the freshly appointed Rangers head coach, is reportedly set to resurrect one of the club’s most polarizing figures by installing Barry Ferguson as his assistant manager. The German tactician, who only penned a two-and-a-half-year deal on October 20, 2025, wasted no time in plotting his backroom revolution. Sources close to the club reveal that Ferguson, the fiery ex-captain and interim boss, has been earmarked for the role, blending Röhl’s continental sophistication with Ferguson’s unfiltered Scottish grit. This audacious pairing could either ignite a title charge or explode into fresh controversy, given Ferguson’s chequered history.
Röhl’s arrival caps a chaotic two-week managerial hunt following Russell Martin’s sacking on October 5. The Gers, languishing in sixth place with just one win from eight Premiership games, saw Steven Gerrard and Kevin Muscat balk at the job amid fan unrest and boardroom bungling. Röhl, 36, initially withdrew last week but returned after Muscat’s talks imploded. His CV dazzles: assistant roles at RB Leipzig, Southampton, Bayern Munich, and with Germany’s national team under Hansi Flick. At Sheffield Wednesday last season, he masterminded a miraculous escape from relegation, earning rave reviews from players like Barry Bannan, who called him “the best manager I’ve ever had.”
Yet, jumping from the Championship frying pan into Rangers’ furnace—amid fan fury over the board and a squad deemed “the worst in a lifetime”—Röhl needs allies who know Ibrox’s brutal pulse.Enter Barry Ferguson, the prodigal son whose return reeks of redemption and risk. The 46-year-old midfield maestro captained Rangers to five titles between 1997 and 2009, amassing over 450 appearances. But his legacy is laced with thorns: a 2003 training-ground bust for cocaine possession led to a three-month ban and a £10,000 fine, branding him “controversial” in polite circles.
Undeterred, he bounced back, winning more silverware before stints at Birmingham City and Blackpool. Post-retirement, Ferguson’s punditry on Sky Sports and talkSport has been unapologetically blunt—slamming ex-teammates, the board, and even Celtic with relish. His 2024 interim spell at Rangers after Philippe Clement’s exit yielded mixed results: a morale-boosting League Cup win but damning draws that fueled sackings.Why Ferguson now? Röhl, a tactical innovator schooled in Nagelsmann’s high-pressing academy, craves a bridge to the dressing room’s grizzled core. Insiders say the duo bonded over a shared disdain for mediocrity during secret talks in Glasgow. Ferguson, who publicly backed Röhl’s appointment on Go Radio—”I’ll get right behind him”—brings streetwise nous to temper Röhl’s youth.
“Barry knows the hurt of losing to Celtic; he’ll fire the lads up,” one source quipped. Yet, skeptics abound. Reddit’s ScottishFootball forum erupted with memes likening the move to a “Scooby-Doo reveal” of Ferguson unmasked, fearing his volatility could alienate Röhl’s data-driven ethos. reddit.com Fans, still seething over the 13-point deficit to Hearts, whisper of a “board puppet” ploy to appease loyalists.The gamble’s high stakes: Thursday’s Europa League clash with Brann looms as Röhl’s debut, followed by Kilmarnock.
With Celtic and Hearts clashing Sunday, a draw there could slash the gap. Ferguson, ever the optimist, insists “the league isn’t over—90 points to play for.” dailyrecord.co.uk If this odd couple clicks, Ibrox could roar again. But in the pressure cooker of Glasgow, one misstep—a rash Ferguson rant or Röhl tactical flop—and the honeymoon shatters. Rangers faithful, battered by betrayal, demand glory, not drama. Röhl’s Röhl with the punches? Time, and Ferguson’s fire, will tell.