When Barry Ferguson was asked about Nico Raskin’s call-up for Belgium he couldn’t resist a typical Glaswegian wisecrack.
“I’ve told Nico, that’s the difference I’ve made to him in two and a half weeks.”
It was tongue in cheek, of course. But there was also a serious side to what the Rangers interim boss was saying too.
Because there’s no doubt Ferguson HAS impacted Raskin’s recent displays at Ibrox. Neil McCann and Billy Dodds will have had a role to play in that as well.
But as a former top-class midfielder himself, the manager will have deliberately tried to influence the 24-year-old since taking over. And you have to say - even though it’s still early days - that whatever Ferguson has done with Raskin, it’s worked so far.
On Wednesday night, the Rangers man was part of a three-man Belgium midfield that included Manchester City superstar Kevin de Bruyne and Club Brugge captain Hans Vanaken.
With two-goal Romelu Lukaku up front, flanked by City and Arsenal wide men, Jeremy Doku and Leandro Trossard - the Red Devils overturned a two-goal Nations League defeat to see off Ukraine 3-0.
Raskin was eventually taken off after 89 minutes of his first start and was given a standing ovation from the crowd. The biggest compliment you can pay him is that he didn’t look out of place in that kind of company.
And you have to ask yourself, would that have been possible if Ferguson hadn’t been given the caretaker role at Ibrox? Incredibly, it appears doubtful.
When Clement arrived as gaffer to replace Michael Beale, you felt it would be the perfect appointment for Raskin - and one that could take his game to another level. Instead, his career went backwards.
Injuries didn’t help but even last season, Clement used his countryman
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