Barry Ferguson has suggested that someone within Rangers held a grudge over Steven Naismith’s 2012 departure from the club, and that’s why the attacker didn’t join the club in January.
In his column for the Daily Record, Ferguson racked his brain about why Naismith had joined Hearts instead of the Gers in this transfer window, and came up with a shocking reason.
“So the only thing I can come up with, and let me state clearly here that I sincerely hope this is not the case,” stated Ferguson before giving his suggestion.
“Is that someone inside the football club didn’t want to bring him back because they hold a grudge over the way he left back in 2012.”
Naismith left the Gers to join Everton in 2012 on a free transfer, after he chose not to be part of Charles Green’s new regime.
Ferguson revealed that if he’s right about Naismith’s return being stopped for that reason, then it’s a “ridiculous state of affairs.”
The former Light Blues midfielder revealed it couldn’t have been a financial reason that stopped a move, as Naismith would have bent over backwards to join the club, and Hearts wouldn’t have completed a deal if it was too expensive.
Ferguson also shared that it couldn’t have been anything to do with Naismith’s performances, as he believes Graeme Murty would have “bitten the board’s hand off” to work with a player with that level of ability and experience.
The 39-year-old also ruled out that Jason Cummings had been signed instead, as he is arguably a younger vision of Naismith, but Ferguson said that wouldn’t have been the case; as Naismith still had the edge due to being “tried and tested.”
OPINION
It was truly confusing as to why Rangers didn’t take the opportunity to bring Naismith back to the club. The 31-year-old was a hit during his time with the Gers, scoring 33 goals in 132 appearances; with the only negative point being the way he exited the club. However, it’s hard to justify that he didn’t make the right move, as the versatile attacker who can play anywhere across the front-line, went on to have success in England. Six-years should have been enough time to forgive and forget; and if Ferguson is right about a move not happening because of grudge, then the club should feel ashamed.The 31-year-old would have been a positive addition to the Gers, and now he looks like aiding their rivals, Hearts, instead.