Former Dundee United star Duncan Ferguson has been unveiled as the new manager of Forest Green Rovers.
The 51-year-old has joined the English League One side, who sit bottom of the table four points from safety.
It sees him join forces with former St Johnstone head of recruitment Stevie Grieve, who is in a similar role at Rovers.
The Scot makes his returns to the dugout after leaving his role as Everton assistant manager in July 2022 to pursue managerial ambitions.
Stirling-born Ferguson – who also starred for Rangers, Everton and Newcastle – said: “I’m really delighted to join Forest Green Rovers for the next step of my career, and I plan to be here for a while.
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Duncan Ferguson as the club's new Head Coach.#WeAreFGR💚
— Forest Green Rovers (@FGRFC_Official) January 26, 2023
“We have a bit of a fight on our hands to stay up in League One and I am ready for the challenge.”
The man nicknamed Big Dunc held several backroom roles at Goodison Park including caretaker boss, No2 to Carlo Ancelotti and Rafa Benitez, and academy coach.
Will he be a success in the top job?
Our sports writers Ewan Smith, Eric Nicolson, Alan Temple, George Cran and Craig Cairns have had their say.
Do you think Duncan Ferguson will be a success as a manager?
Ewan: I believe Duncan Ferguson has all the characteristics needed to be a very successful manager. He has a wealth of coaching experience over the last decade at Everton and has been caretaker manager there twice. However, above all, his motivational personality will inspire players to play for him.
Eric: I suspect not – at the top level anyway. Everton go through managers like few other clubs in the English Premier League and if they’d seen signs that they had the next Guardiola or Klopp in the building they’d have turned one of Ferguson’s caretaker spells into a permanent appointment.
Alan: While impossible to judge Big Dunc until he has been afforded a crack at a top job, his playing career and gilded apprenticeship would suggest that he is ready to embrace the opportunity.
Now 51 years of age, Ferguson was trusted to be on the staff of coaching legends such as Carlo Ancelotti and Rafa Benitez. That speaks volume to his abilities on the training ground.
Ferguson also served as caretaker boss of the Toffees on two occasions and never one looked out of his depth — indeed, he has previously been listed among the candidates for the role on a permanent basis.
There are no certainties but, given his journey and personality, you wouldn’t bet against him being a smash hit in the FGR dugout.
George: Yes, I think he will. The spells he had as caretaker showed there is some managerial ability in there, particularly when you see the mess the Toffees are in right now. He was a respected coach at Goodison Park and has a demanding way about him that could be a decent mix for a manager.
Craig: That depends on so many different variables but from the short spell he had as Everton caretaker and what we know of him as a character, he seems the type that would at least get buy-in from the players. I can’t say I know a lot about his coaching credentials but he was part of the Everton coaching set-up during a time when they were led by some top managers.
Is Forest Green Rovers – bottom of League One – the right club to begin his career as a No1?
Ewan: In my opinion, it’s far better for managers to start at the bottom and work their way up. When they are used to grafting at a lower level, then they often become more ‘complete’ coaches when they reach a higher level. Of course, there is always a risk attached to failing in your first job if it’s at a smaller club as it becomes harder to work your way up the ladder. But being a roll-your-sleeves up character, I believe Forest Green is the ideal club for Big Dunc to start out at.
Eric: I don’t think so. Try as I might, I’m struggling to see Ferguson and Stevie Grieve, the sporting director, as a natural working fit.
Alan: It is a challenge, for sure. However, FGR are only four points adrift of safety in League One and, should he have the desired impact, there is no reason he cannot keep them up.
Ferguson will be able to call upon the guidance of a compatriot — former Dundee United analyst Stevie Grieve — as sporting director and takes over a squad packed with Scots such as Kyle McAllister, Regan Hendry and Dylan McGeouch.
FGR are also an ambitious, forward-thinking side with lofty ambitions for the future, as well as an intriguing and laudable social conscience. It is certainly a fascinating choice for an ever-intriguing character.
George: It’s a tough job. But not an impossible one. Forest Green may be rock bottom of the table but they are close enough to safety to make things right. A new-manager bounce is their game plan and someone with the attitude of Ferguson might just do that. If he can’t keep them up then he can’t shoulder too much blame after parachuting in mid-season.
Craig: From a far it’s not easy to decide if Forest Green is specifically the right club but in terms of the club’s level in the English leagues it could be the right move. Recently we have seen the likes of Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard – whose respective pedigree is not in doubt – fail at Premier League level, perhaps because they were given the job too soon in their careers.
How do you see him handling different characters in the dressing room given his reputation as a player?
Ewan: There’s no doubt Big Dunc won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. The outside perception is he will rule with an iron fist, given what he was like as a player. But he is also, clearly a humble character and this shines through on his social media interactions with Everton fans. He’s responsive and likeable but as a coach I fully expect him not to take too kindly to slackers so his players better be ready to work hard!
Eric: To an extent his reputation will go before him but players will judge Ferguson on what he does on the training ground. The days of ruling a dressing room by fear are long gone.
Alan: With ease. The notion of the fiery, tempestuous Ferguson will always persist.
And while you would not trifle with the towering Dundonian — he has matured into a fine coach and is clearly a fine man manager.
Anyone who thinks modern superstars such as Wayne Rooney, Theo Walcott and Richarlison — Brazil’s No.9 — would respond solely to shouting and balling are kidding themselves.
Ferguson may be no shrinking violet but he is also a modern 2023 coach.
George: From his days in charge of Everton he looked very capable of building rapport among players. Part of that was discipline – just ask Moise Kean at Old Trafford. He won’t suffer fools but if he gets the balance right between demands and positive feedback, players will respond.
Craig: I think we have seen from his social media and the like that he is a different character now than when he was a player. We won’t know exactly how he deals with the unique pressure of being a manager until it happens but – again going back to his short spell as Everton caretaker – we have already seen him get a reaction from a team at a low ebb.
Should he have had a crack at management in Scotland?
Ewan: I would love to see him at Dundee United one day. United, given the fact he started out there and is still highly-regarded at Tannadice, would seem like a natural fit. There was talk of a move to United when Jack Ross left earlier in the season but it was never realistic. Does Big Dunc want to come back up the road? I’m not convinced. He has spent so long in English football that it’s likely he’d see his future down south.
Eric: As much as I’d love to see it from a journalist’s perspective, I think that would be a bad idea. The off-field stuff up here casts too big a shadow.
Alan: Shoulda, woulda, coulda. Ferguson has built a life in England and it would take an incredibly inviting offer to tempt him back north of the border.
Dundee United’s interest was well-documented but, given what it would have taken to tempt Dunc to uproot and return to Dundee, was always fanciful.
It would be wonderful to see Ferguson coach in Scotland again and, if he is a success at FGR, he will undoubtedly be on the radar in the future.
George: It feels like he won’t be far away – Forest Green’s squad has a number of Scots already there! Former Dundee United defender Jamie Robson is there as are the likes of Dylan McGeouch, Ross Doohan, Kyle McAllister and Regan Hendry. Scotland would’ve been a good starting spot but, succeed in the English Football League in your first job and you’re managerial career is well and truly up and running.
Craig: Not yet. Related to the previous two answers, he would probably be better cutting his teeth out of the limelight. A lot of his reputation as a player comes from his exploits in Scotland and we know about the goldfish-bowl nature of football in Scotland. I’m sure Ferguson would back himself in the Scottish Premiership but is also probably aware of the media attention that would come with it.
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