‘One thing I will say’… Barry Ferguson makes confession about 22-year-old Rangers star.
Barry Ferguson confesses he changed his mind about one Rangers player despite initially being ‘not too confident’ about what he could give the team.
The former Ibrox skipper was initially hesitant to sign Turkish left-back Ridvan Yilmaz, but his recent displays have changed his mind.
Yilmaz has replaced Borna Barsic as Rangers’ first-choice left-back this season, despite only playing three Scottish Premiership games under Michael Beale at the start (Transfermarkt).
This season, he was left out of the Europa League squad, but Philippe Clement added him for the knockout rounds, taking advantage of a UEFA regulation that allowed three changes to the original pool of players.
Yilmaz, like many other Rangers stars, has prospered under Clement. The difference in form between Barisic and the Turk was evident on Wednesday against Kilmarnock.
The Croat began the game at left-back, but was outplayed by Danny Armstrong. Barisic also had an awkward moment when he went down clutching his leg after Armstrong made the tiniest touch near the byline.
At half-time, he was replaced by Yilmaz, who led Rangers to a 2-1 victory and maintained their two-point lead in the Scottish Premiership.
Ferguson praised Yilmaz, who joined Rangers under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, on The Go Radio Football Show, stating that he has improved significantly since his arrival.
Barry Ferguson on Ridvan Yilmaz
Barry Ferguson admitted, “I wasn’t too confident about Ridvan. I saw him and was humming and hawing, but within the last month or two, that young man has been on a game.
“He has pleased me, and I thought he was excellent when he appeared on Wednesday night. So I believe Ridvan will retain his left-back position till the end of the season.
Philippe Clement also made time to congratulate Yilmaz at his pre-Motherwell press conference on Friday, emphasizing how much he has ‘grown’ in nearly every aspect of the term.
“Ridvan has undergone a significant development in the last several months, growing in practically every way.
“There were a lot of rumors in January, but I didn’t notice any difference in his conduct, training mentality, or teamwork.
“He has improved on the pitch. His level is superior in terms of physical, mental, and tactical ability. His resilience in duels is also a source of emotion.
“He’s also very popular in the dressing room, and he’s settled in well over the last few months. I don’t believe this was the situation six months ago.
“He’s a fighter and we need fighters, and I don’t mind how big they are in centimetres!”
Leave a Reply