Barry Ferguson has told the Daily Record that Giovanni van Bronckhorst has to retain faith in Kemar Roofe when Rangers battle Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park.
The Old Firm rivals face each other again this Sunday for a place in the final against one of Hearts or Hibernian. The Bhoys have won two of the three meeetings of the Glasgow sides so far this season. Rangers edged the first encounter 1-0 in August under Steven Gerrard.
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Roofe started the Gers’ win at Ibrox, as well as February’s defeat at Parkhead and Celtic’s 2-1 win this month. But the 29-year-old went into his latest clash with the Hoops having only played 45 minutes of Premiership football over his side’s last seven top-flight games.
Van Bronckhorst seemingly lost a lot of faith in Roofe after Celtic beat Rangers in February. The forward spent four of the Gers’ next five league games as an unused substitute, but a seven-minute cameo against Motherwell. Yet Alfredo Morelos’ injury allowed him back in.
Morelos is out for the rest of the season after suffering a thigh injury that needed surgery. Roofe has since stepped up after a shaky Old Firm derby, netting three at St Mirren before Rangers’ all-important extra-time strike against Braga for a Europa League semi-final spot.
Ferguson urges Van Bronckhorst to stick with Rangers ace Roofe ‘100 per cent’
Ferguson admits he ‘felt for’ Roofe against Celtic earlier this month, having played so little for Rangers before the derby. But his following form should ensure Van Bronckhorst does not consider axing the Jamaica international come the Scottish Cup semi-final encounter.
“Yes, 100 per cent,” Ferguson said. “I felt for Roofe in the last Old Firm game as, not only was he isolated, [but] he also went into that match with hardly any minutes in his legs.
“He got on the pitch against Celtic and in Braga, hit a hat-trick at St Mirren and a got goal on Thursday. He’s got his sharpness back and will go into this feeling like a different player.”
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