Scottish Football: Ferguson caught in war of words
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Your support makes all the difference.MAKING SENSE of the Duncan Ferguson wrangle is getting harder by the day, not knowing who to believe in a maelstrom of events laced with subterfuge.
Ferguson, at 21 years of age, is the most promising talent in the Scottish game, but in common with many young hopefuls before him he possesses a destructive immaturity which has led to conflict with Jim McLean, the Dundee United manager and chairman.
While Ferguson is banished to the reserves for an alleged breach of club discipline and McLean is engaged in a war of words with the player's agent, Rangers claim to have made a pounds 2.5m bid for his services, posing a dilemma for McLean. He remains resolute that Rangers have made no offer, and he hinted on Saturday that the player may have been approached illegally when he said: 'Walter Smith (the Rangers manager) denied the story to the press on Thursday and if David Murray (the chairman of Rangers) is saying differently you will have to speak to him.
'Duncan Ferguson is not for sale. If anyone comes in for him, it will only confirm my suspicions about what has been going on.'
Murray confirmed on Saturday that a telephone bid had been made for Ferguson: an offer of pounds 2.5m which remains valid, although McLean has in the past refused to sell key players to rivals. Richard Gough was forced to travel to Ibrox via Tottenham, and others such as Andy Gray have only been allowed to move south.
McLean's mood on Saturday was not helped by an 85th-minute red card shown to his international midfielder, Jim McInally, for a second caution in his side's
2-1 victory over Falkirk at Tannadice Park. Paddy Connolly, deputising for Ferguson, scored the winning goal.
Celtic overcame atrocious conditions at Broomfield to beat Airdrie 1-0 with a goal by Tommy Coyne, who remains a transfer target for Manchester City. Frank McAvennie, in his first game back with Celtic, provided an assist.
The only other Premier games to escape the weather were Hearts'
0-0 draw with Motherwell, and St Johnstone's 2-0 win over Hibernian. Willie Miller, the Aberdeen manager, was unhappy that Ibrox was declared unplayable less than 20 minutes before kick-off, with 17,000 of the expected 45,000 fans already in Rangers' stadium.
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