Barry Ferguson sticks two fingers up to Scotland

Apr 2 2009 David Mccarthy

Barry Ferguson would have been locked away in the dressing room 10 minutes before kick-off. Out of sight and, luckily for him, out of earshot when the teams were read out.

Huge cheer for Craig Gordon. Genuine approval for the rest of the starters. Then the subs were named and first up was Ferguson's boozing buddy Allan McGregor. Boos rang round the famous old bowl but the Tartan Army was just warming up. That one was to clear the throats.

Gary Teale and Christophe Berra's names were called before 'No.15 - Barry Ferguson' - and they let rip. Now Gary McAllister has copped it from these supporters in the past but he hadn't spat on the armband. And that, figuratively, was exactly what the midfielder did when the early hours of Sunday morning stretched out until lunchtime and bevvy was still being taken at Cameron House.

Now Ferguson might have been practically invisible on the pitch for Rangers this season but did he really think he achieved that state of being in that hotel on Sunday?

Did he not think folk would be looking on in disgust at the Scotland captain drinking at breakfast time just after a humping which was hurting the nation and just before a match that would shape ourWorld Cup future?

That's why he got it harder than McGregor last night, although the keeper should be big enough to do more than follow his captain's lead.

Then again, this is a man who let Scott Brown shave his hair off, so maybe not.

The Scottish Rockettes kicked off the pre-match entertainment but all the talk was about those two Scottish rockets who had made it on to George Burley's bench.

Ferguson and McGregor really should have been watching the action from the comfort of their living rooms but the manager had given them a half-cocked reprieve by dumping them from the starting 11 yet allowing them to wear the jerseys as substitutes.

It really was an odd decision from a manager whose authority had been completely undermined by two players who clearly do not have an ounce of respect for him.

If you think that's harsh, ask yourself this. Would Ferguson and McGregor have bevvied themselves senseless for eight hours if Walter Smith still been managing the national team?

Not that they showed an ounce of remorse or a modicum of contrition last night. The best they could muster was sitting on the bench sticking two fingers in front of their faces. Well why not? That's what they'd done to Burley and the country a couple of days earlier.

The empty spaces around Hampden was evidence that perhaps not only the Rangers duo had lost faith in the manager.

One win in eight internationals - and one in 10 for Scotland overall - was not a CV of which to be proud and although the victory came against Iceland anything less than three points again would constitute a full-grown crisis for the boss.

The 40-odd thousand who did turn up were up for playing their part and after belting out Flower of Scotland it didn't take them long to be roaring their approval at the positive start Burley's team made.

Much of the good work in the early stages came from the boots of Ross McCormack on the left of midfield. The Cardiff man was providing the kind of spark James McFadden often gives this side and his mates looked just as much in the mood.Three corners in the first 10 minutes were a notice of intent but the age-old failure to work the opposition keeper was evident once more.

Gordon's first work of the evening, clutching Iceland's first corner out of the floodlit night with ease, was met with resounding approval from the stands and soon enough his name was ringing round Hampden. Another indication McGregor could not expect to be welcomed back anytime soon.

Gordon's ability to come off his line and through any traffic in his path was particularly useful against Iceland, whose main tactic seemed to be launching massive throw-ins deep into the box from the human catapult that was Coventry City's Aron Gunnarsson.

Keeping the ball off the deck wasn't the daftest tactic because the pitch was a mess. Bumpy and bobbly, it wasn't conducive to a passing game.

The bright start didn't produce a goal and Steven Fletcher and Kenny Miller weren't getting as much joy through the middle as McCormack and a slightly tuckedin James Morrison were harvesting in the wider areas.

West Brom's Morrison is clearly a talented footballer and it has been wondered why Gary Teale featured instead of him in that role in Amsterdam.

The fact he wore the No.6 shirt wasn't missed either. Who needs Burbarry when you go to Morrisons for a bit of style? The Anglo was at the heart of the most incisive moment to date in the 37th minute when he drove at the defence then slipped Miller in.

The striker took a touch when he could have hit it first time and the chance was lost.Within 60 seconds that disappointment was forgotten as Scotland took the lead.

Alan Hutton was the architect with a charging run down the right and a delivery that picked out

McCormack at the back stick. This time the kid really DID look like McFadden as he swept his first-time right-foot shot into the roof of the net.

Hampden exploded. Burley did a prissy little dance for joy that would not have looked out of place on Thingmyjig about 30 years ago but nobody was embarrassed for him - we were all too busy celebrating.

Hutton could have finished it five minutes into the second half but Gunni Gunnleifsson plunged to his right to save and it was still on a knife-edge. Within two minutes, Scotland let it slip and were left bleeding.

Stephen McManus lunged into fresh air, Palmi Palmason's shot cracked off the post and Indrioi Sigurosson drilled home the rebound to leave Scotland having to win it all over again.

And they did. Sixty-five minutes in, McCormack's corner, McManus' header into the mix and Fletcher's nod from six yards was all it took.

By the way, neither Ferguson nor McGregor came out to warm up at any stage during the game. Good job we didn't need them, eh?

Taken from the Daily Record