It was delivered with tongue planted firmly in cheek. But when Barry Ferguson joked that he told Nicolas Raskin his recent form was “the difference that I’ve made to him in two-and-a-half weeks” then it’s hard not to think there was more than a modicum of truth.
And for Rangers the good news is the duo have at least another two months working together. Ferguson might face mission impossible delivering silverware in his caretaker role over the next two months.
But the caretaker can work his magic to ensure there’s silver of another sort heading in the direction of Ibrox in the not too distant future. In short: continue to polish the gems like Raskin so the Ibrox side can cash in when the time is right. And that time might be a lot closer than some Gers fans might like to think.
Raskin’s form over the past fortnight has been as bright as anything at Ibrox in what has been a season that’s failed to illuminate. In beside Connor Barron at the base of a middle three with Mohamed Diomande just in front, Ferguson has found the balance and energy in the engine room that has been the catalyst for a week that has seen the Ibrox side go the extra mile.
Raskin has been the key with his stamina, composure, aggression at the right moments and delivering those huge moments to affect even bigger games. It sounds just like Ferguson at his pomp. And it can be no coincidence after just a few weeks of working together.
Raskin’s first call-up to the Belgium top team this week was thoroughly deserved and for those watching him closely of late should have come as no surprise.
And therein lies the rub for Rangers. This feels lies a landmark moment in the career of a player who arrived in January 2023 and has endured a rollercoaster ever since.
He’s now delivering on the big stage and on a regular basis, much like Diomande. Up against Sofyan Amrabat and Dusan Tadic in Istanbul two weeks ago, as Rangers stunned Fenerbahce 3-1, he was immense. Snapping into tackles like he did to start the move for the second goal. His pass for the all-important third was nothing short of sublime.
On Sunday Raskin ran the midfield as Ferguson led his side to the most unlikely victory on enemy territory – and just 60 hours after he’d emptied the tank across 120 minutes to squeeze through in Europe against Jose Mourinho’s side.
His energy levels as he scampered about that huge surface at Parkhead were incredible. The run and header for the opening goal was impressive. But the burst into the box to lose Arne Engels and flick on an assist for Diomande to slot home the second was even better.
It was the second time in a matter of days that the 24-year-old had got the better of Engels after taking his place in his international squad. This isn’t about Raskin v Engels though even if the Rangers man won that head-to-head on Sunday.
It’s about the progression in Raskin’s game. The call from Belgium boss Rudi Garcia takes that onto another level altogether.
Should he set foot on the park for the Red Devils in their Nations League play-off double header against Ukraine over the next week and show the same qualities as he has on the big stage for Rangers recently then it won’t just be Garcia – himself a midfielder in his playing days – whose attention has been caught.
Having just turned 24 the former Standard Liege man will be ripe for the big boys with big wallets. Ferguson will be well aware the player trading model has broken down in recent years and needs fixed.
Knowingly or not he’s already doing his bit. Making players, particularly in his old position, better. Developing assets that will coin in big profits. Raskin comes into that bracket. As does Diomande, 23.
The Belgian has two years left on his contract this summer while the Ivorian will have three. Under the caretaker’s influence both – along with Barron – have taken their game up a level.
Raskin arrived for a modest seven-figure sum under £2m from Standard Liege in January 2023. On current form he could leave for multiples of that.
If Rangers are brave enough to twist at the right time. And should a bid arrive earlier than expected then it won’t just be that punter who got the Belgian’s name tattooed on his rear this week who could be facing an awkward decision.
Rangers have been accused of making an a*** of their player trading model in recent years and new owners or not it’s something that even the most staunch Gers fan will accept needs to improve.
They need to show that lessons have been learned since big assets like Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent were allowed to walk out the door for nothing.