Me, Paul Le Guen and the Loch Ness Monster Munch

[North Rd 2,860]

Barry Ferguson: Me, Paul Le Guen and the Loch Ness Monster Munch

BARRY FERGUSON reveals the truth of the stormy relationship between him and former Rangers manager Paul Le Guen, as well as his love for Monster Munch. 27 Sep 2013 00:01

Fergie is lectured by Le Guen but his lack of passion riled the skipper

SNS Group Bill Murray

LET me start with a confession: I like Monster Munch. In fact, I’m particularly fond of pickled onion.

There you go, I just wanted to get that out in the open because something happened at Forfar at the weekend that made my mind drift back to one of the most controversial periods of my career. And, yes, I realise there were a few.

But there was nothing quite like the time when Paul Le Guen told me I was finished at Rangers and people tried to make it out it was over a bag of crisps.

For those who don’t remember, sit back and let me explain.

We’ll start last Sunday at Station Park where Rangers struggled to a 1-0 win and got slaughtered for their display.

I didn’t see it but by all accounts it was dire and a throwback to last season when Ally McCoist had a hard time of things in the Third Division.

But there was one big difference between Sunday and the worst days of the previous campaign when so many points were dropped at places such as Peterhead, Stirling and Berwick.

The difference was Rangers won.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying for a second there’s any excuse for a team like Rangers to be struggling to win at Forfar. There isn’t.

Monster Munch were a favourite of Fergie

What I am saying, however, is that even though they had a bad day at least they left the place with three points.

That wasn’t always the case last season and, to me, it’s a sign some of the club’s old standards are on the way back.

Standards that I was raised on. Standards that Rangers were built on. Standards that I thought might disappear for good during Le Guen’s time in charge seven years ago.

A lot has been made about my relationship with the Frenchman. I know there are Rangers fans out there who still think I undermined him or stabbed him in the back. So I’d like to use this column to set a few things straight.

First, you have to understand the way I was brought up as a kid working under John Brown and John McGregor. They kept things simple: At Rangers nothing less than three points is ever acceptable.

Yes, they wanted us to play well and encouraged us to express ourselves but the most important lesson they taught us was that you’ll never cut it as a Rangers player if you pull that shirt on and think it’s OK to lose.

That was driven into my head every day of my young life until it became a state of mind and a way of life.

So yes, I’ll hold my hands up right now. To this day I am guilty of wanting to win every game I play.

I know I run around with my wee face all screwed up, moaning at everyone and everything but it’s only because I care so much about winning.

To me, that’s just the Rangers way – if you don’t care if you lose or draw then you’ve no business being there.

And that’s was the root of my problem under Le Guen.

The truth is, the longer it went on the more I was struggling to recognise the Rangers I had grown up with. Under Le Guen, it was becoming acceptable to drop points on a Saturday. In fact, it was becoming the norm. And I admit I just couldn’t get my head around it.

Now, people have their own opinions about what went on between us.

But I was there, I know what went on inside that dressing room and I’d challenge him to deny or contradict anything I’m about to tell you.

Week after week I walked off the pitch to be told: “It’s OK, let’s stick together and just move on to the next game.”

That’s alright after one bad game. Or maybe if a team is going through a wee sticky patch. But not EVERY week. After EVERY embarrassing result.

It was a gradual build-up, over weeks and months. His shrug-of -the-shoulders attitude was eating away at me inside because this was the club I loved. I was the Rangers captain and these results were killing me. It was humiliating.

And the worst bit of it was, I could see it rubbing off on others until there were players sitting in that dressing room who didn’t seem to care if we won, lost or drew. The standards I had grown up with were disappearing.

I held my tongue as best I could but it was only a matter of time until I eventually snapped. That day came on December 27, 2006, at Inverness. We had been winning 1-0 but ended up losing 2-1. I think we slipped to fourth or fifth in the table. I mean, it was getting ridiculous.

And what did I hear when I walked into that dressing room? “It’s OK. We must stick together.”

That was it, I just couldn’t listen to it any more.

So I said: “Aye, we must stick together. But it’s not f****** OK that we’ve lost another three points. What part of that don’t you get? This is Glasgow Rangers you are working for.”

I admit I lost the head. I was just so angered by the lack of passion. I couldn’t look round any more at people who didn’t care if Rangers won or lost.

Yes, maybe I was guilty of letting my emotions boil over. Maybe I lost my cool in that dressing room on that day. But I just couldn’t take any more of it.

But that was it. It wasn’t as if I asked the guy outside for a square-go. I put my hand on my heart and say, I never caused that man one problem. I never once knocked down his door.

Yes, OK I might have eaten the occasional packet of Monster Munch which might have been against his nutritional rules but come on? Listen, I’m all for players looking after themselves and eating well. But no one is going to tell me a packet of pickled onion now and again is going to take years off your career. It’s nonsense.

Is that what people mean when they say I undermined him? Honestly, I don’t know where all that comes from and it makes me angry just thinking about it.

It was all I read in the papers or heard on the phone-ins. I swear none of it was true. I was guilty of one thing – being passionate about my club and going a bit daft at Inverness.

But I had no idea the price he wanted me to pay for it until I walked into Murray Park a few days later to prepare for an away game at Motherwell.

His assistant, Yves Colleu, shouted for me and I went into the manager’s office and Le Guen began to speak to me like I was some sort of alien. I wasn’t even allowed to sit down. He just told me I’d never play for the club again and to leave the building.

I was in a daze. I got my bag and walked to my car without saying anything to the other lads. I got a few hundred yards down the road before I pulled in and realised what had just happened. I was shattered.

As things turned out, it was Le Guen’s Rangers career that was over.

Very soon after that, Walter Smith was back in charge. And overnight Rangers got their standards back.

That’s why the result at Forfar pleased me the other day. And put me right in the mood for a packet of my favourite crisps.

[RM Monitor And Standards Officer 112,901]

If I played for Rangers I'd be one greeting faced bastard. I love the club too much. Any defeat would see me act like a petulant wee waen

[North Rd 2,860]

'RFC_52.....Just like you are on here

[RM Monitor And Standards Officer 112,901]

'RFC_52.....Just like you are on here

Aye much the same mate. It hurts me seeing us like this and it hurts after loads of turgid shite tbh.

But at least I care

[North Rd 2,860]

Aye much the same mate. It hurts me seeing us like this and it hurts after loads of turgid shite tbh.

But at least I care

You do that mate Someday, we will be back talking footy again and not all this Board shit.

[dummiesoot 16,288]

Barry is correct. Dropping points should be fucking unacceptable.

[RM Monitor And Standards Officer 112,901]

You do that mate Someday, we will be back talking footy again and not all this Board shit.

Let's hope so. There's no been much let up for us fans over the last 5 months or so.

[CanadianBacon 2,088]

It's his ambition to manage his boyhood heroes one day.

Yup........Hamilton Accies.

[scarkev 3,540]

Although I can appreciate where Barry is coming from and I can respect his attitude and approach, ultimately it's that same philosophy that has held us back over the years and arguably contributed to our problems! We have never been able to plan long term and introduce a sustainable structure where young players and a philosophy of play could be created because all that mattered (and I agree) was beating Celtic.....

The issue I have at the moment is that same philosophy is not relevant.....I don't care what anyone says about results....we could afford to lose games (we wouldn't lose that many) and people would understand if they saw a long term progression in place. It's the performances against part time players that annoy people. If we had changed the philosophy at the start of this 'journey' I guarantee we would have been so much stronger come our return to the top flight but this mentality that a win is a win no matter the opposition will stifle our progression and mean we will have to spend a fortune to compete with Celtic again....

[Young Bob 1,360]

I would like to hear Le Guens side of the story.

[bawsburst 1,381]

Never trust a dyke jumper.

[Smile 26,624]

I would like to hear Le Guens side of the story.

He gave it to spiers at the time you must have missed it.

[4evablue 110]

I would like to hear Le Guens side of the story.

PLG is very angry to be misrepresented. He told Barry to eat Prawn Cocktail Monster Munch and he bought Pickled Onion instead.

[stampyurie 203]

I would like to hear Le Guens side of the story.

Read graham spiers book then. Its very neutral regardin the fergie and le guen events.

True story

[Jimfanciesthedude 25,667]

Yawn, more shite to suck up to the fans

If you had a problem with plg's philosophy barry you, as captain, should have spoke to him in private and told him your concerns, perhaps plg's explanation might have been acceptable in terms of the long term planning he might have had

Instead you acted like a petulant wee wean, I'll never forgive you for that, some fucking example you were setting

[Moraybluenose 99]

Im delighted to hear Barry clear this up. I like so many others believe that we should, no MUST win every game. That is what the club is about and every player needs to know that 100 percent is the minimum requirement!

We find ourselves working our way back from the bottom because of a con man, a previous owner desperate to sell and our fan base who ensured we didnt just disappear. What we face every match is what a lot of teams in the top leagues up and down the country face in cup ties, the shock result.

We are the team that every club wants to face for the financial benefits and the club that every opposition player wants to score against, to give them a chance of being recognised and progressing. Thats why 100% is the minimum for us and we will need to prove ourselves in every game.

[bawsburst 1,381]

Yawn, more shite to suck up to the fans

If you had a problem with plg's philosophy barry you, as captain, should have spoke to him in private and told him your concerns, perhaps plg's explanation might have been acceptable in terms of the long term planning he might have had

Instead you acted like a petulant wee wean, I'll never forgive you for that, some fucking example you were setting

He couldn't wait to phone keech jackal to greet about big bad PLG putting him in his place.

[Bearosaurus 41]

Barry is correct. Dropping points should be fucking unacceptable.

As should any Rangers employee or ex-employee having anything whatsoever to do with that shit rhag.

[RM Monitor And Standards Officer 112,901]

He couldn't wait to phone keech jackal to greet about big bad PLG putting him in his place.

Aye cause things were going great under the manager of the century

[The Godfather 75,935]

I liked Barry as a player but as a person he was a bit of a prick.

[Guardian 4,281]

Tho he might have gone about it wrong, there is no doubting PLG was hopeless as a manager.

However it came about, PLG needed to go.

I'm not taking Barrys side here, just going on PLGs behaviour and results.

[RedWhiteBlue1872 407]

Yawn, more shite to suck up to the fans

If you had a problem with plg's philosophy barry you, as captain, should have spoke to him in private and told him your concerns, perhaps plg's explanation might have been acceptable in terms of the long term planning he might have had

Instead you acted like a petulant wee wean, I'll never forgive you for that, some fucking example you were setting

Long term planning?, you cant be serious.

You honestly think its acceptable to be sitting 4th for a large part of the season in the SPL, struggling for results each week?.

He was a hopeless manager, who looked totally out his depth for whatever reason.

[binsy08 362]

Long term planning?, you cant be serious.

You honestly think its acceptable to be sitting 4th for a large part of the season in the SPL, struggling for results each week?.

He was a hopeless manager, who looked totally out his depth for whatever reason.

Nail on head.

[Muirheadbear 1,483]

I'm definitely up for win at all costs atitude but Ferguson's ego had gone OTT at that point. The abuse he used to give younger players like Adam and Namouchi was terrible. In fact I remember one game where he pushed Namouchi off the ball. What was that doing to younger players confidence?

Also, from what I could detect, he also had a negative influence on players like Boyd, McCulloch and McGregor which also leaked into the national side. It was all about Barry. What did he nickname Murray Park? Barry's World wasn't it! A great player but an inflated ego. If you can't stomach Naisy, Davis etc for leaving why should you stomach him when there was less excuse to move to Blackburn at the time?

[boss 1,941]

Not interested in what that wee ned has to say. Some will remember him for walking out on Rangers when he was the captain.