Sir Alex Ferguson Visited Rangers Training, Offered Managerial Advice
Legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson visited Rangers' training ground to offer encouragement to manager Derek McInnes, drawing parallels to his own early struggles.
Sir Alex Ferguson, the legendary former manager of Manchester United, recently visited the Rangers training ground at Auchenhowie, offering words of encouragement to manager Derek McInnes. The visit comes as McInnes's Rangers team has embarked on a six-game winning streak, including a victory over rivals Celtic.
McInnes shared that Ferguson, who was in Glasgow visiting family, made the stop on a Tuesday. The two managers shared lunch and discussed McInnes's own managerial journey. Ferguson, known for his own challenging start at Manchester United before achieving immense success, drew parallels to McInnes's early difficulties at Ibrox. He emphasized that the end of the season, rather than the start, is what ultimately defines a campaign.
Ferguson's early years at Manchester United were marked by difficult league finishes, including 11th and 13th place. Some fans even displayed "Fergie out" banners following a heavy defeat to Manchester City in 1989. A crucial FA Cup tie against Nottingham Forest in 1990, where Mark Robins scored the winning goal, is widely considered to have saved Ferguson's job.
During his time at Hearts, Ferguson was a regular visitor and supporter of McInnes's work. Following McInnes's September manager of the month award and Rangers' recent resurgence, the visit provided a welcome morale boost. Despite the recent success, McInnes stressed the importance of continued improvement and focus on performance throughout the season.
"He messaged on Monday to see if he could come up and see us on Tuesday and he was up in Glasgow dealing with one or two things and seeing his brother," McInnes said. "He came in on Tuesday for lunch and spent a bit of time with the staff and myself chewing the fat as he does. It was great to see him."
McInnes also highlighted the strong performances of Rangers defender Olwethu Makhanya, who was named player of the month for September. Makhanya, a 22-year-old South African centre-back, has been a key player since his summer transfer from Philadelphia Union. McInnes praised Makhanya's adaptation to the Scottish league's physicality and pace compared to his previous experience in MLS.