Barry Ferguson hopes that new Rangers manager Philippe Clement is working behind the scenes to provide the help that Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers need to thrive at Ibrox.
The ex-Gers hero, speaking in his column for the Daily Record (28 October) believes that the basics of management is to provide players with the confidence they need to perform, especially players who are struggling like two of Michael Beale’s marquee summer additions.
Both players joined Rangers for a combined fee of around £6m in the summer but have really struggled to hit the ground running, scoring just five goals between them so far this campaign and Ferguson believes that both players must take advantage of the “clean slate” provided by Clement before the January transfer window.
He wrote: “Watching Cyriel Dessers and Sam Lammers play in recent weeks has been watching two players who have been needing help and they look to be getting that.
“Part of management is working to build confidence within players who are struggling to perform to the levels they can. I would hope Clement is going about his work quietly and building that confidence within the group and I have a good feeling about him.
“There is a clean slate with a new man in charge, the squad have now until January to try and ensure they are part of his plans beyond that and that always stimulates players to perform.”
Pull socks up
Both players have drawn frank criticism from fans and pundits for their performances since their moves from Italy and have been used as poster boys for the Light Blues’ terrible summer transfer window, which ultimately cost Michael Beale his job.
It’s certainly never nice when fans single out a player individually and ridicule him with boos and unwanted and unnecessary criticism and that’s the unfortunate treatment they are receiving right now which isn’t right.
It seems as if the Rangers faithful were never convinced about their signings in the first place and their concerns will have been justified given the worrying goalscoring record of both players at previous clubs when the club desperately needed a ruthless finisher over the summer.
In fact, the club has already been linked with one household SPFL striker this week in Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland (David Tanner, 27 October) which certainly doesn’t spell good news for either player but Ferguson is right, they’ve simply got to make the most of the clean slate provided to them by Clement.
Both Lammers and Dessers have started the two games under the Belgian’s management which certainly hints at his liking for them already, now it’s up to them both to pull their socks up again amidst the criticism and doubts and impress before it’s too late.
