Ferguson urges County to score first and test Rangers’ reaction to falling behind
Ross County co-manager Steven Ferguson would love to get in front against Rangers to see how they react after Hamilton showed what was possible.
Ferguson is sensing an opportunity to cause a shock with the conditions and the circumstances and has urged his players to believe it, too.
He admits he has no idea which Rangers will turn up – the team which stunned Braga in Portugal to reach the last 16 of the Europa League or a side determined to atone for losing against Hearts and Hamilton.
County have taken ten points from their last five home matches and Ferguson feels they can ask questions of Steven Gerrard’s men in tomorrow’s noon kick-off.
“A first goal is always important, although it didn’t pan out that way [in County’s 4-1 defeat atmotherwell]onwednesday,” said Ferguson, pictured.
“But we would love to get the first goal again on Sunday and see how Rangers react.
Although Rangers’ woes in domestic football are well documented at the moment, we would still probably rather have Rangers’ problems rather than the problems we are having in regard to the battle we are in.
“We understand that, but we need to make sure we feel that we can come away with points from the game on Sunday because Hamilton showed everyone it’s possible for a smaller team, or a more provincial club, to win against them, and we believe that as well. We believe that, if we do it properly, and us being at home and the pitch isn’t great with the weather that we’ve had, and sometimes the early kick-off can knock people off their stride. So we need to make sure we focus on ourselves and what we need to do, because we don’t know what Rangers we’ll get.
“We could get Rangers of European form. I thoroughly enjoyed how they played in that second leg. And we could very much be facing that wounded animal desperate to get back onside with their own supporters, and the players will want to do it for their manager and change things around.”
Ferguson, who saw striker Billy Mckay pick up the Ladbrokes Premiership player of the month prize for February, added: “Every club has their own pressures to deal with and things they need to do. We are no different to that, Rangers are no different to that. We will look after and deal with what we need to deal with and I am sure Steven and his players will be the same.”
Rachel Corsie, who didn’t play in Scotland’s opening Pinatar Cup win over Ukraine on Wednesday, is set to regain the captain’s armband against Iceland this afternoon. Corsie wasn’t considered for the first game because her flight back from the USA was delayed and she arrived in Spain behind schedule.
In her absence, the side was led for the first time by Manchester City’s Caroline Weir. The 24-year-old has a long time admirer in Shelley Kerr, who signed her for Arsenal in 2013 when she was barely out of Dunfermline High School – and the Scotland head coach was delighted by the way the midfielder responded.
“She leads by example on the pitch and I wanted to give her more responsibility,” said Kerr, a former Scotland captain herself. “She took it on board and I thought she was outstanding.
“Over the last year I’ve seen a massive growth in Caroline as a person and as a footballer. She’s just getting better and better.
“Wednesday is probably the most aggressive I’ve seen her as well, although I’m seeing that at her club more often than not now. She’s got so much quality, including game intelligence, and so needs very little coaching.”
Weir made her Scotland debut off the bench in an away friendly against Iceland in 2013, a month before joining Arsenal. Kerr is set to make five or six changes as she has promised every player game time in Spain but, assuming Weir is retained, she will win cap No 70 against the Icelanders.
“I learned I would be captain against Ukraine at the team meeting before the game,” said Weir, who recently signed a new 30-month contract with City. “It was a surprise, but an honour, and a moment I won’t forget.”
Today’s winners will be overwhelming favourites to lift the Pinatar Cup on Tuesday.