FORMER STAR BACKS GERS FOR SECOND

Lisa Gray, PA Sport

Derek Ferguson believes turmoil behind the scenes could cost Hearts second place in the Bank of Scotland Premier League this season.

And the former Ibrox star - and brother of Barry - insists Rangers will be ready to pounce if they slip up in the race for the runners-up spot.

With Champions League football up for grabs, the stakes are high for both teams.

Rangers have suffered a blow with the loss of Barry Ferguson for the remainder of the season through injury but his older sibling reckons Hearts have a lot more to worry about.

Interim boss Valdas Ivanauskas is their third manager of the season after the departures of George Burley and Graham Rix in what has been a tumultuous time at Tynecastle.

The latest storm to hit the club surrounds the future of Andy Webster, who was 'rested' for the last three games despite being fully fit and now looks set to leave the club.

Reports on Thursday also suggested club chiefs had employed the services of a Lithuanian 'holistic therapist' whose new-age methods had played a part in team selection and Ferguson believes his former club can only benefit from events at Tynecastle.

He said: "I can't believe what's going on there.

"It must have an effect on the dressing room and that probably favours Rangers.

"If Hearts do finish second, it will have been a great season for them.

"But I think some of the boys will be looking at their futures and wondering whether they should stay or go."

Webster has been linked with a move to Rangers but, whether he does make the move to Ibrox, Ferguson insists it is madness for a club to exclude their top players from crucial games.

He added: "You just have to look at Andy Webster being left out. I'm always of the view that you play your best 11 players.

"There may have been talk over other clubs, or whatever, but I think Andy Webster is too professional to let that affect him.

"If you look at that dressing room, the Scottish guys like Craig Gordon, Steven Pressley and Andy Webster, are the reason why they have had so much success this season because they were solid at the back.

"I cannot fathom out why someone would want to upset that."

Rangers and Hearts meet on the final day of the season at Ibrox and Ferguson hopes that is when the race for second spot in the SPL will be decided.

He said: "I think it will go to the last game and I hope it does because it would be absolutely fabulous.

"There will be a full house and two teams going at each other's throats."

Taken from sportinglife.com