Ferguson close to securing his Rangers return

FORMER Rangers captain Barry Ferguson last night edged closer to a job on the Ibrox coaching staff after talks with new boss Pedro Caixinha. The 39-year-old, who quit as manager of Clyde last month, could secure a return to his boyhood club as the Portuguese’s No 3 later this week. He has already held discussions with Caixinha at the club’s training ground and has strong support in

the boardroom. John Brown, who is already employed in the Rangers commercial department, has also spoken with the new manager, but Ferguson looks set to get the nod, while ex-interim boss Graeme Murty is expected to remain Under-20s coach. Meanwhile, Burnley star Scott Arfield insists Rangers were wholly to blame for Joey Barton’s disastrous spell at Ibrox. Livingston-born Arfield, set to play for Canada against his native Scotland at Easter Road tomorrow night, has partnered Barton in the Turf Moor midfield in recent weeks following the Englishman’s return to the club in January. And he believes Rangers got it all wrong in terms of how they handled the outspoken Scouser, whose contract was terminated after a bust-up in the wake of September’s 5-1 defeat at Celtic Park. Arfield said: ‘Joey has come back to us and it has been seamless. I honestly think it was Rangers who created the problem. They didn’t use him properly and that was the downfall. ‘Joey’s a massive character, a leader and a winner. Yeah, he can rattle a few cages. But those are the guys who can also inspire a full dressing room. ‘Getting hammered 5-1 by your biggest rivals, it was never going to be rosy when they went in to train on the Monday morning. ‘It speaks volumes for Joey, and reflects really badly on Rangers, that he has come back down here and begun winning man-of-the-match awards straight away.’