Lot of Rangers fans are reacting today to last night’s epic result in Lublin, but there’s one conclusion we really have to urge a lot of caution over:
“Connor Barron is the new Barry Ferguson”
Yes, we’re seeing a tonne of fans making this comparison with Rangers’ new dynamo in midfield, compared with the old-school captain of yesteryear, and it’s understandable to get excited by Barron – he was terrific in Poland, not overawed at all and demonstrated why Ibrox Noise was so desperate for Rangers to get the boy signed up.
But we must hold up a huge stop sign here:
He just isn’t Barry Ferguson, and not because ‘he’s not good enough’, but because those making that comparison may be speaking from the heart rather than head.
Barry was what the Italians call a regista, or conductor – he pulled the strings in midfield, he dictated play, he put his foot on the ball and he picked out the passes. He also supported attack with runs into the box, albeit he was nowhere near as good or regular at this given the classic likes of Lampard and Gerrard.
Barron just doesn’t do this, not like this, not in the same way.
If we were to compare his style, it’s the Milan Gattuso, a player Rangers fans are immeasurably familiar with. Not the Rangers Gattuso, he played RB for lord knows what reason.
But the Milan midfield terrier Gattuso, shining there first for Salernitana before his career-defining switch to the San Siro.
Gattuso was an angry wee bastard, a great dirty harrying worker who wasn’t blessed with a lot of technical quality but really pushed opponents, got in their faces, and made life hard for him.
That great Milan side could only flourish thanks to him doing the dirty work, not unlike Ryan Jack for Rangers in 55.
And bingo, we have another comparison – yes, a lot of fans have also mentioned Barron being a new Jack, and we’d agree a lot more there in terms of Jack covering other players and doing the grafting. He’s why we won 55, simple as.
Barron?
He’s technically a much better player than Gattuso or Jack, far better balance on the ball and a much better passer than both.
But Barry he isn’t – he won’t conduct midfield, he doesn’t have the vision to playmake and find the shrewd passes, but he’s far more mobile than Barry was.
In terms of what he is, he’s still got a lot of developing to go, so let’s just see what he becomes rather than putting pressure on him as ‘a future Rangers captain’ or as ‘the next Barry Barry’.
On yersel Connor.