Barry Ferguson knows a thing or two about being disciplined by Rangers after a dispute with Paul le Guen then an “indiscretion” on international duty that ultimately saw him leave the club.
In his Daily Record column the former Gers skipper has had his say on the incident that has seen Jordan Jones and George Edmundson suspended after breaking Covid-19 protocols.
So what has Ferguson said?
Reflecting on the current situation that saw both players fined by Police Scotland for attending a house party late on Sunday night after the 1-0 win over Kilmarnock, he said:
“There’s one key word which applies inside every dressing room I’ve ever known: Trust.
“It takes a long time to earn but you can lose it all in a heartbeat. It’s a hard lesson to have to learn but I can speak with some authority when it comes to how Jordan Jones and George Edmundson will be feeling this morning now they have become the black sheep of Auchenhowie.
“Trust? They’ve just about broken every rule in the book, not just when it comes to Covid-19 protocols but also in terms of what’s expected from a proper team-mate and right now Jones and Edmundson will be hoping Rangers trust them enough to give them a second chance.
“At the moment, that’s probably far from certain but I hope for both their sakes that this incident doesn’t end their Rangers careers.
“I’m a great believer in second chances – that’s probably because I was given so many of them myself!
“And even though Steven Gerrard must be tearing his hair out I hope he finds it within himself to forgive them and to move on. Punish them, yes – they deserve to be disciplined – but then give them the chance to win back some trust.”
So is Ferguson correct?
It may be that both players are handed the same punishment but that their futures at Rangers take an entirely different path.
Do Jones and Edmundson deserve a second chance?
Yes
No
This isn’t the first time that Jones has let himself down either on or off the pitch and having fought so hard to get back into first-team reckoning, to so blatantly break the strictest – and clearest – of guidelines, is inexcusable, the chances of him donning the Light Blue jersey ever again are zero at best.
As for Edmundson, he might just get lucky, a loan spell away from the club to remind him of what he is potentially giving up could be enough for him to learn his lesson, but if his fate is similar to that of the one facing Jones, few would either be surprised or up in arms.