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Duncan Ferguson knows better than anyone about the weight of expectation currently being shouldered by Youssef Chermiti – and the danger of being branded a Rangers flop. But the former Ibrox striker remains convinced the misfiring big-money arrival from Everton can silence the doubters who believe his £8million summer arrival from the Toffees was cash down the drain. With just one Rangers goal to his name, Chermiti has found a soulmate in Ferguson who hit the back of the net just twice in 14 Light Blue outings after moving to his boyhood heroes from Dundee United in 1993. He said: “Moving to Rangers is a massive adjustment for any player – and people need to remember that Chermiti is only still 21 years old and needs time to find his feet. “Nothing prepares you for being a Rangers player. I was the same age as him when I made the move and was too young to make the most of that opportunity and it’s a huge regret. “Chermiti has all the attributes to be successful. What’s missing are the magic ingredients that all strikers need – luck and confidence. “The transfer fee is something he needs to forget about. “He’s clearly a player who the club believe can become the sum of all parts and get his game to a level where he can fulfil the potential he’s had. “There’s plenty of time for him to do that. “But patience isn’t a virtue you find at either of the Old Firm clubs. “If he can start to relax and get a run of games then he can change opinions. “The new manager Danny Rohl is just in the door and has clearly seen enough in training to start him against Celtic and Roma so there’s clearly a lot of trust there.” Several missed opportunities during the defeat to Celtic in last Sunday’s Premier Sports semi-final defeat at Hampden did nothing to foster a belief the former Everton striker can make a telling impact at Rangers. A grand total of five senior goals and three assists in 57 appearances has Rangers fans scratching their head as to why the club would make the Portuguese hitman the second costliest player in their history. But Ferguson believes stats can be deceiving. He said: “Chermiti has huge assets as a striker, he’s big, powerful and can shift. “He has decent technical ability and needs to bring that out in his game. “That comes with confidence and a few goals could unlock a lot of those assets which, up until now, aren’t being used often enough. “We’re talking about a kid in football terms. He’s just got to buckle down and focus on his job. “Scoring goals changes everything for a striker and he’s capable of being a success at Rangers. I wouldn’t be writing him off just yet, that’s for sure.” Ferguson insists his managerial ambitions burn as bright as ever after a spell as caretaker boss at Everton was followed by stints at Forest Green and Inverness. These experiences failed to douse his passion for the dugout, having cut his teeth as a coach under legendary boss Carlo Ancelotti at Goodison Park. The Toffees legend said: “The experiences I’ve had were beneficial for various reasons so there can’t be any regrets. “I’ve had a few opportunities to get back into the dugout but I’ll take my time as I’ve learned now not to jump into anything. “I believe in myself and that I’ll become a great manager. Hopefully one day, I’ll be permanent manager at Everton. That’s way further down the line but why not set the highest target to aim for?” AN EVENING WITH BIG DUNC - FRIDAY NOVEMBER 14, AYR TOWN HALL TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM: spotlightevents.uk
