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BBC News
04-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Rangers 1-1 Celtic: What the manager said
Rangers interim head coach Barry Ferguson is "a bit disappointed we didn't come away with three points" after the draw with Scottish champions Celtic. "The commitment from my players was what I asked for, really good," he tells BBC Scotland."Scored a good goal, went in at half-time deserving of the lead. We know Celtic are going to come out second half, but we weathered the storm really well."I just spoke to the players that we countered really well, it was just that bit of quality in the end that we need to be better at. The boys hold their hands up, they know that. Next week in training, it's something we have to work on."The mentality is there, it's just making sure you bring that sort of mentality on a consistent basis. It's something we've not been able to do this season. It's something we know we need to get better at."As for his prospects of holding on to the head coach role permanently, Ferguson adds: "It needs to get sorted out as quickly as possible because a lot of people need to know what's going on. I've been pretty open about that. The changes are starting to happen."The quicker we sort what's going on in terms of next season, the better, because the season is just round the corner. Before you know it, you're in pre-season. There's a lot of work to be done."I've been written off all my life, in terms of my playing career. People have got opinions and that's totally up to them, but I know I can do the job - we just need to wait and see."When I got the opportunity, I grabbed it with both hands. I've really enjoyed it. There's been bumps, that's part of management, but it's not scared me one single bit."
BBC News
24-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Results since return from injury fuel Muir belief
Winter Olympic freestyle skier Kirsty Muir says her results since she came back from a long-term injury show she can challenge for the sport's biggest prizes, adding: "I just need to believe that."The 20-year-old Scot recently returned from a knee injury, which sidelined her for almost a she is back with a bang, winning her first ever World Cup competition in France earlier this followed that with a solid sixth-placed finish in the ski slopestyle event at the FIS Freeski World Championships in Switzerland at the is hugely encouraging with next year's Winter Olympics in Italy on the horizon."Each event is a different event but obviously it just helps me out a little bit, it just shows me that I really can do it and I just need to believe that," Muir told BBC Scotland."The competition mindset came [back] quite easily but it was almost like I was thinking too far ahead sometimes, I was trying to think about the end result of what I wanted and then that would then affect my skiing so we were just bringing it back, being in the moment, me and the course."I want to do the best I can in my run and not think about anyone else or any other thing, so that is one thing we have been doing, my coaches have been trying to get me back to the present moment and focus on what I am doing."They have been really good with that and just supporting me and making me believe that I can do all these tricks and stuff, so there is a lot of support from them." 'Time off makes it even more special' Muir will also compete in the big air event at the World Championships later this week and the Aberdonian admits to being surprised at how well she has done after such a long spell out."Yes, definitely," she said. "Even the first couple of competitions we went in with no expectations or pressure and I managed to make finals, which was really cool."Since then each competition I have been progressing more in my own skiing and my tricks and that has kind of been shown through my results too, so yes, overall very happy with it."We worked really hard last year, it was all worth it, that is what was helping me through the rehab was thinking to these moments when I knew I would be having a great time. I am back here and very happy about it."Muir was the youngest member of Team GB at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, where she made the finals in both the women's slopestyle and big air she has returned to the snow with a greater appreciation for being able to do what she loves."I never expected to have such a long time off skiing because it is my main thing in my life that I love doing, so I think overall I definitely appreciate it more," she added. "Time off makes it even more special."Even my coach when [the injury] first happened was joking, 'Kirsty Muir 2.0 incoming', but we will keep that as the idea maybe.'Overall I am just enjoying everything."
BBC News
21-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Appreciative' Ralston & Hanley thrilled to repay Clarke faith
Anthony Ralston and Grant Hanley have thanked Scotland boss Steve Clarke for showing faith in them despite the pair's lack of game-time at club Ralston has made just three appearances for Celtic in 2025, while centre-half Hanley has had one start for Birmingham City since joining the English third-tier club in both players were in Clarke's starting XI in Athens and impressed as the Scots dug out a gritty 1-0 win over Greece in the Nations League play-off first leg."When you're not playing at club level there's a chance you might not get selected [by Scotland] or won't start," 33-year-old Hanley told BBC Scotland."But I'm grateful to the manager showing that trust in me. I'm happy I could repay that with a clean sheet."Ralston, 26, said: "I'm very appreciative of the gaffer showing the faith that he has given that my game-time at club level isn't where he would maybe want it to be."I obviously want to go out and put the performances in for him."It's keeping myself right in my personal life and on the training pitch so that when the opportunities come I can take them and do my job for the team."Victory in Athens was the fifth game in succession that Hanley has partnered Rangers centre-back John Souttar in the heart of Scotland's defence."We enjoy it and feel the performances have been good," Hanley added."Second half we were under pressure a bit and defending the box a lot, but for defenders to come through it – making tackles and headers and defending our box – we take a lot of pride in it. It's one we can enjoy and take into the second leg on Sunday."Read more: 'Scotland's great survivor Hanley basks in battle'
BBC News
11-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Stunning strike 'right up there' in Carey collection
"It's think it's right up there."The words of a modest Graham Carey after his 30-yard screamer secured St Johnstone's spot in the last four of the Scottish Cup with victory over also telling of the frequency the midfielder scores such magnificent manager, Simo Valakari, and team-mates noted post-match they see the 35-year-old do that on a regular basis in training, but even the man himself couldn't understate the importance of doing it on a Scottish Cup quarter-final stage."I think this is right up there just because of the meaning of the goal as well," Carey told BBC Scotland."Obviously it was 0-0 and at a crucial time in the game, so to put us on the front foot to go and win the game and get into the semi-final, I think it's right up there."It was still goalless because of the heroics, particularly in the first half, from Saints goalkeeper Andy Fisher, who denied Andrew Shinnie and Danny Wilson with superb saves."I've just stood and saw the ball come at me and I've reacted well to it," Fisher said."I got a good dive off but yeah, that's what I'm there to do."Few folks in the stadium had a better view of Carey's cracker than Fisher, and given he's faced a few in training, he knows opposite number Jerome Prior was left helpless."Unfortunately I do face them in training," he said. "I was right behind it, I saw the movement on the ball and I think the keeper had no chance."
BBC News
05-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Taylor seeks 'perfect response' as two-weight champion
Josh Taylor says becoming a two-weight world champion would be the perfect response to those who believe he is finished as a top-level Scot, 34, fights England's Ekow Essuman at Glasgow's Hydro on 24 May, moving up in weight to compete in the 147lb welterweight division for the first undisputed light-welterweight champion Taylor is looking to get his career back on track following back-to-back losses to Teofimo Lopez and Jack Catterall."The desire and the hunger is still there. I want to achieve more in the game," Taylor told BBC Scotland."I've got plenty of naysayers that say 'you can't do this, you can't do that'. So I like to prove them wrong as well."When I become a two-weight world champion then it's a good middle finger up to a lot of people." Taylor admits the move up in weight should have come earlier in his career, and believes the 147lb division offers some exciting added: "I just think in hindsight - it's a great thing - I probably should have done it right after I won the undisputed title [against Jose Ramirez in May 2021]."But I had made a deal with Jack [Catterall], shook his hand that if I got the fight against Ramirez and won I would give him the first shot and I stuck to my word. But in hindsight, I should have probably moved up then."I've maybe stayed at 140 maybe for one too many fights but that's all been said and done and we're on to the new chapter and I'm looking forward to it."The welterweight division is quite hot at the minute. There's a few big fights to be made. You're talking on the bigger scale - Conor Benn and things like that, they're all massive mega-fights. "These are fights that keep me excited and get the belly burning and get the butterflies in the belly."
