IT'S BEEN A RICE LITTLE LEARNER

Rangers' youngest post-war player Bailey admits it's been dream to be mentored by icon Ferguson

- BY FRASER WILSON

IF Barry Ferguson only has a matter of days left as Rangers boss then expect Bailey Rice to be hanging on his every word.

As midfield mentors go, the Ibrox kid could hardly have wished for a better one over the past 11 weeks.

Ferguson has zoned in on the teenage talent, picked apart his game and shown enough trust to throw him into the heat of battle.

Not least playing him from the start in a Europa League quarter-final tie against Athetic Bilbao.

Rice admits it has been tough love at times.

But even if this week is to be the end of caretaker boss Ferguson's spell in charge in Govan, the 18-year-old insists the man who remains one of the best midfielders in the club's history has left a huge imprint on his own game.

One that has given him the best chance to live the dream for real and become a regular for his boyhood heroes, just like Ferguson was three decades ago.

Rice is already ahead of the former captain in one regard, having made his debut three years earlier than his boss as a 16-year-old in February 2023 and becoming the club's youngest post-war player into the bargain.

Incredibly, despite his tender years, Rice is now playing for his third Rangers manager since that debut against Livingston.

Whether that becomes four ahead of the new season remains to be seen with Ferguson still among the candidates to become Philippe Clement's permanent successor.

You get the impression Rice would love that to be the case.