Could It Be Over for Barry Ferguson?

On our bus on the way up to Aberdeen yesterday we had on a dvd of the 2001-02 season, where Ferguson led the team from midfield, driving forward, winning tackles, making great forward passes that cut open the opposition defence, not forgetting a few excellent free kicks (cup final especially).

Where-o-where has that player gone, as the current wearer of the number 6 jersey is nowhere near that vintage of a few years ago.

It is no longer acceptable to say he needs a few games to get to match fitness, or that he is carrying an injury. Unfortunately, supporters of Ferguson (I include myself in this) have run out of excuses as to why the current player is playing at a level nowhere near that of the player of 1998-2003.

Since he took over the armband again at the start of the 2005-06 season, it has been one thing after another for Ferguson. A niggling injury here, an injection there, putting of the required operation until the end of the season and hoping the injury will go away "Big Marv style."

There have been glimpses of the old Ferguson. He has taken some games by the scruff of the neck and inspired us to victory. He has marshalled our team together in backs to the wall victories in Europe, inspiring younger players to give their all and cajoling experienced ones to give a little more. Alas, these have generally been too few and far between to really say Fergie was back to his first spell best.

It looks to be the case where, if one is being kind, the amount of injections and injuries have taken their toll on his body, and he will never again be able to play at the level required to influence our side to great things.

The incisive passing seems to have gone, the drive only comes now in five minute bursts near the end of the game, he cannot chase any midfield player over more than five yards without giving up the chase and needing someone else to help out, and he no longer contributes with free kicks or goals from midfield.

The fact that we have failed to win any SPL title in the three full seasons since his return to Ibrox is perhaps even more telling of his failing influence on the park. Indeed his one and only title as captain, in the fantastic treble winning season of 2002-03, does not do justice for his influence on the team in my opinion but the bare fact perhaps shows more truth than my memory.

I am verry sorry to say it, but the signs are that Barry is done, finished, kaput. He has ceased to be (a midfield force). While I am sure he is not yet pining for the fjords, perhaps we should be allowing him to join the Norwegian blue in Monty Python's blue heaven. Like the Monty Python series and films, Barry will forever be remembered favourably.

Perhaps he should go now before the decline in his standards get even more noticable and start to tarnish the memory of our only true-blue, home-grown legendary player of the last 10 years.

This opinion is enhanced by the current financial situation where his salary is now not comparable with his performances, and we must make cuts wherever necessary. It does also appear that we have a few options for his position, with Davis and Thomson (when back to fitness) all capable of filling his role admirably, and also Edu and other fringe players waiting for a chance to shine.

I cannot see him wanting to leave us again, I cannot see us kicking him out like we did with Hutton, and to be honest I cannot see another team coming in with a sufficient bid either, given his injury record.

So he is probably here until his contract runs out, and perhaps even longer, but sadly I feel we are seeing more and more a pale shadow of his former self, and one that will only continue to frustrate both himself and the fans, as we all know what talent and determination lies within the creaking body.