BARRY ON A HERO’S IBROX RETURN:
WHEN Kenny Miller runs out for his warm-up tomorrow I hope he’s given the reception he deserves from the Rangers fans. You know, the one he was wrongly denied.
It has been a difficult few months for my old team-mate who unfairly left Ibrox under a huge cloud, joined Livingston as player-boss then left after a few weeks in charge. Now he’s returning to the one place he never wanted to leave, wearing a Dundee shirt.
But what will have hurt him most of all – and I say this as someone who knows Kenny so well – will be the fact he wasn’t given the chance to say cheerio to the Rangers support.
I hope these fans don’t hold anything against him because his biggest crime, as far as I can see, was caring too passionately about the club. Being too professional for the liking of some people who clearly have no idea about the standards which make Rangers so special to so many.
I honestly believe the fans will have worked that out by now and will show their appreciation when he comes out of that tunnel.
Don’t get me wrong, they’ll not be clapping and cheering for him when the game starts. But I am sure they’ll give him a good reception because that’s the least he deserves after everything he has done for the club over the years.
I know Kenny didn’t want to leave but that decision was taken out of his hands the moment he and Lee Wallace were suspended and fined after the Scottish Cup defeat to Celtic under Graeme Murty. I don’t know exactly what went on inside that dressing room because I wasn’t there. But I can have a guess what it would have been like in there if I was – absolute mayhem. You don’t put on a performance like that then just pack your bag and go home. There is a time and a place for harsh words and home truths and I wouldn’t have left Hampden that day until I had got a lot off my chest. These things are not unusual. They happened in all my Rangers teams. Whether it was Dick Advocaat, Alex McLeish or Walter Smith, if we had played badly then we would have a full and frank discussion about it. It’s healthy to let off steam and call people out if they have let the team down. That’s what winning dressing rooms are made of. The difference is, the managers I mention would let us have a ding-dong for four or five minutes then would tell us to shut up and take control of the group. Whatever happened after that Celtic game, the guy supposed to be in charge clearly wasn’t capable of doing that. As a result, two outstanding professionals who would give blood, sweat and tears for that jersey ended up being kicked to the kerb and having their reputations tarnished.
That will have hurt Kenny. But not as much as having to leave in the summer through the back door without being able to show his own appreciation to the supporters.
Deep down he knew his chances of getting a new deal would have been no better than 50-50 at his age and with a new manager.
But he will have wanted to walk away with his head held high, having said his goodbyes to the fans and all the people who have been in and around Ibrox during his years at the club. I know because I had to do it twice.
The first time, I left after helping the club get into the Champions League group stage in Copenhagen. I knew before the game I was on my way to Blackburn afterwards and had to keep that quiet.
But after the game at least I was able to go over to the away end behind the goal and give the fans a clap. Just to let them know I appreciated their support.
The second time, in 2009, we won the title at Tannadice and again I was able to say thank you to the travelling fans.
I’m sure all Kenny would have wanted was the chance to do something similar. Not doing that will have been eating away at him inside.
As for Wallace, it’s an even more difficult situation. At least Kenny has been able to move on but Lee now appears to be stuck there with little prospect of getting back in the team.
It did look as if Steven Gerrard was going to give him an opportunity but Wallace was then left out of the squad for the Europa League. That will have been a really sore one to take as it suggests he’s surplus to requirements.
I’m sad about that because I really rate him. He has something to offer Rangers and Scotland for that matter. I was looking forward to seeing him getting back to his best but it now looks as if, unfortunately, he’s going to have to move elsewhere to get a regular game.
I don’t know him but I feel for him all the same because everything I hear about Lee as a person is really positive. I certainly don’t believe for one minute he was a bad apple and I know for a fact Kenny never was. I feel bad for both of them but life goes on. For Rangers and the fans all that matters is beating Dundee and staying within touching distance at the top. With games also coming up against St Johnstone and Livingston, Gerrard will be looking for nine points before hosting Hearts at Ibrox.
I fully expect to see a major reaction after the Old Firm loss. That was the first big setback for Gerrard’s new team and now they have to respond in the right way.
Miller would have loved to be a part of that.
But at least tomorrow he will finally get the chance to bow out with a little bit of dignity.
Kenny’s biggest crime, as far as I could see, was caring too passionately