Curtis Jones backs Virgil van Dijk regarding Liverpool problems (Credits: Imago Images)
Ferguson has been one of Findlay Curtis’s most vocal supporters, and the Scotland call-up only strengthens his belief in the teenager’s enormous potential.
Curtis made the trip to America as part of Steve Clarke’s World Cup squad, but Ferguson insists the 19-year-old’s greatest days are still ahead of him.
The young wide player took what Ferguson describes as a brave decision by heading out on loan to Kilmarnock during the second half of last season.
That spell at Rugby Park has clearly paid dividends, earning Curtis his seat on the plane to the United States with the rest of Scotland’s squad.
Ferguson first heard about Curtis coming through the Rangers academy some years ago, but it was during his own time as manager that he truly got to understand the player’s character.
“I LOVED his attitude,” Ferguson said, recalling the impression Curtis made from the very first training session alongside Neil McCann, Billy Dodds, and Allan McGregor.
Curtis showed a willingness to learn, a hunger to improve, and a readiness to work hard on the parts of his game that needed sharpening, all qualities Ferguson considers essential for any top professional.
While his technical ability was already well known, it was Curtis’s positive outlook and self-belief that set him apart from the moment he arrived in training.
Ferguson noted Curtis also has “a wee wide side to him,” a streak of confidence and edge that he believes is essential for any player hoping to succeed at a club the size of Rangers.
During the first half of last season under Russell Martin and Danny Rohl, Curtis did not feature heavily, but he still managed important contributions including goals against Panathinaikos and St Mirren.
Rather than remain at Ibrox for sporadic minutes off the bench beyond January, Curtis chose to seek regular football and joined Kilmarnock, who were sitting second bottom of the table at the time.
McCann and Dodds had just taken over at Rugby Park and needed contributors, not passengers, making the move a genuinely challenging environment for a teenager to step into.
Curtis responded emphatically, scoring five goals in 14 appearances, including four in crucial fixtures after the split, helping Kilmarnock secure their top-flight status.
Ferguson believes working under McCann and Dodds will have accelerated Curtis’s development considerably, with both coaches working on refining his final ball into the box.
The improvement was visible the longer Curtis spent in Ayrshire, and Ferguson says he is returning to Rangers as a more mature and more complete player for the experience.
His goal for Scotland against Curacao at Hampden offered the latest evidence of a key strength, his directness and instinct to take a touch and get a shot away quickly.
Questions have been asked about Curtis’s best position, with Kilmarnock deploying him on both wings, while McCann also started him at right-back in one outing against St Mirren.
Ferguson is not troubled by the positional debate, pointing out that he himself used Curtis at left wing-back when giving him his first Rangers start at Pittodrie just over a year ago.
While Ferguson believes Curtis is best operating off the left side, he is convinced the teenager has the quality and versatility to function across the entire front three, including centrally.
That flexibility will make him a valuable asset for Rohl heading into the new season, just as it makes him a useful option for Clarke over the coming weeks at the World Cup.
Ferguson is not predicting Curtis will start every game, but he is absolutely certain this is only the beginning of what should be a genuinely exciting chapter for the young Ranger.
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