Barry Ferguson has highlighted the Rangers selection 'mistake' Michael Beale might look back on as he tipped Allan McGregor to go for another year.
The Light Blues hero watched on as Celtic lifted the League Cup at Hampden on Sunday following a 2-1 win over his former side. It was a first defeat for the new boss since taking over from Giovanni van Bronckhorst with Kyogo Furuhashi the hero on the day for Ange Postecoglou's men with a close-range double.
Veteran stopper McGregor was called upon to make a couple of smart saves in the first period and he kept the score down as Rangers chased a leveller late on. That has convinced Fergie that the 41-year-old can go another 12 months hailing him as a 'solid, reliable and a top class goalkeeper'. One decision that Ferguson believes may play on the mind of Beale is the one to go without Nicolas Raskin from the start at the national stadium. His omission from the starting team was a 'surprise' but admits the better side won on the day and there is no excuses.
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He told Go Radio : "I watched the game and Allan McGregor looks sharp to me. I know he is 41 but the problem you have with goalkeepers is that the two hardest positions to fill are a keeper and a number nine.
"They cost quite a fair bit of money, now if Rangers have a fair bit of money which I don't think they have, they need to concentrate on putting it in one position. You have a guy who I think can go on another 12 months.
"He is solid, reliable and a top class goalkeeper, that is what Alan McGregor is. I don't see any signs of Greegsy getting any slower. I have saw a few interviews where he has said he is taking it one game at a time. But if I am Michael Beale, I am sitting down with Allan McGregor just now and trying to find out where his mind is.
"Ultimately it will come down to whether Allan wants too retire or play on. For me, I think he still has a good season left in him. I do think he will need to spend a few pounds, I think he knows there's work needing down to the squad. There will be a set budget and it's in the forward areas I feel Rangers need to concentrate on."
He continued: "By watching Raskin over the last couple of weeks, certainly last week against Livingston, I thought he was a stick-on to play. I'm not disappointed.
"If you look at the four that could play in that holding two - Lundstram, Raskin, Jack or Kamara - I would have been happy with any of them. But I think with his performance last week, it is the type of player that Rangers have been needing so I was surprised.
"Maybe Michael Beale will be looking back and maybe that was a mistake that he made. There's no excuses, the better team won at the end of the day."
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