"He Only Gets Fired Up for Matchday": Barry Ferguson Opens Up on Rangers Star Dujon Sterling

According to media outlet The Scottish Sun, Barry Ferguson, former Scotland midfielder and a legend for Rangers, gave an interview on the Five Stars podcast, where he shared his feelings about his time as the interim manager of his former club. Ferguson also talked about a player who “really annoyed” him during training sessions, but performed exceptionally well once matchday arrived.

The player Ferguson was referring to in the podcast was Dujon Sterling, a graduate of Chelsea's academy. He said, “I’ll give you one about Dujon. He used to really annoy me sometimes in training because he was just really laid back.” Ferguson added that Sterling would be very relaxed during training sessions, going so far as to tell the manager, when asked to increase his intensity during training, “I only get fired up for 90 minutes on matchday.”

The former midfielder, however, stated that once Sterling was available to play, which was limited due to his struggles with several injuries, the defender was one of the best players at the disposal of the manager. The Scot stated, “He was just one of those guys. It’s not a bad attitude – he likes to work – but by god, when he gets up and running he’s (great).”

In the podcast, Ferguson also said that he would have loved to play alongside the defender in his career, adding, “I wouldn’t want to play against him.”

Sterling has been one of the most important members of the Rangers squad ever since he joined the team back in 2023. The defender is among a small, core group of players who have survived the multiple managerial changes that have been made by the club in recent years, and the consequent player exits and arrivals. According to The Scottish Sun, ever since Barry Ferguson was replaced by Russell Martin last summer, 32 new players have been signed by the club, and this has necessitated several departures of key players. However, the core of the team, which includes Sterling, has remained untouched. This is testimony to the immense importance that the defender holds for the club.

The 26-year-old defender has been very important for all the managers who have managed him at the club till now. He also seems to have put his injury woes behind him, enjoying a continuous string of games, the latest of which resulted in a clean sheet in the Old Firm derby against arch-rivals Celtic FC on Sunday.

In the podcast, Ferguson also said that he would have loved to play alongside the defender in his career, adding, “I wouldn’t want to play against him.”