Former Ranger Turns Down Metros/Mo

MetroStars96 · Apr 8, 2003

http://www.planetfootball.com/article.asp?id=140969&cpid=98&title=Ferguson turns down MLS

Ian Ferguson says he'd rather stay in Australia.

babytiger2001 · Apr 8, 2003

As a "Yank Abroad" living "down under", and one who works for an Australian-based soccer website, I thought I'd bring some insight to what was being said here.

The reference to turning down any MLS overtures are simply non-existent. There was a larger article in the Sydney Morning Herald in one of its editions last week where he makes mention of the same thing-- eg., "I could have joined Mo [Johnston] there, in Kansas City"-- but moreso it's an off-the-cuff remark.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/04/03/1048962883376.html

from the SMH article:
A player accustomed to the big stage may be excused for taking things easy in a competition blighted by low exposure and poor crowds but Ferguson remains convincingly upbeat.

"I could have gone to Kansas City with [former Rangers teammate] Mo Johnston but there's no regrets at all," he says.

"I know the game here has problems but if I thought it was some sort of football wasteland, I wouldn't have come. I would have hung up my boots and given a young player a go.

"To be honest, I can't understand the negativity in the game. The standard is a lot better than everyone makes it out to be. There's three or four young players at the club who could easily get into a Premier League team in Scotland.

"I knew from my first visit that it was going to be competitive. I'm not saying that to be nice. It was a great motivation to come here to a team not doing so well and take on a new challenge.

"It doesn't worry me if people don't know who I am. I know what I've done in football, my friends and family know, and that's fine by me. I had a great career with Rangers, and now I just want to get on with my life.

"I've spent more time with my kids in last eight months than in the previous 10 years. I'm here to play football, to help the young boys and to see my kids grow up. That's what matters to me."
Click to expand...

That segment is down towards the foot of the article in the SMH, by the way.

Believe me, Planet Football isn't the only organization to take Ian's comments out of context. I think we did it last week as well.

But at the same token, I'm not sure if any MLS people-- Ivan Gazidis, or whoever-- have ever contacted Ian about playing in MLS. I don't have any proof one way or the other, but I'm sure if he had been approached, someone would have made a bigger deal out of it.

Just my two cents worth over here, even with the exchange rate.