James Tavernier’s Rangers career has had its ups and downs, but that won’t make him a great at the club.
In fact, the right-back won’t ever be considered a Rangers hero until he starts winning trophies. Yesterday’s 1-0 defeat to Aberdeen in the Betfred Cup wasn’t a new experience for the Rangers right-back. The Gers have been knocked out of their last three Betfred Cup semi-finals now.
All of them have seen Tavernier play what should’ve been a starring role for Rangers. In all three he’s been found wanting when the pressure is on.
The European run is great, and Tavernier has made a positive impact in that. Anything that happens on the continent, however, is a bonus. Rangers don’t make legends through decent runs in Europe. They’re made through what they win at the club.
As much as Tavernier has shown some incredible loyalty to the club, he’s still won zero major honours at Ibrox. The Championship title and the Challenge Cup aren’t being considered – no Rangers player should look back on those two trophies alone and think they were a success.
Too often, games like yesterday’s have happened whilst Tavernier has been on the pitch. Don’t interpret it wrong, that’s not to say that Rangers’ number one right-back was the reason for any of those defeats. But they all came under his watch.
Lengthy career with minimal reward
The Mark Warburton signing has had a lengthy Gers career so far. That doesn’t mean that it’s been a successful one. The truth is that Tavernier has been part of far more poor Rangers sides than he has good ones. That has to change.
Getting the captaincy at Ibrox will have been an honour for the Englishman. He does deserve it for his leadership and loyalty to the club. Unless he starts winning trophies on a regular basis, however, he won’t be remembered in history as a successful Gers captain.
It’s important that the former Newcastle man starts to build a legacy for himself at Ibrox. His time at the club deserves something to look back on with pride. Outside of winning the captain’s armband, what can Tavrnier truly look back on and be pleased about?
He’s a fine footballer, but as it stands he’s won nothing. It’s time for Rangers’ most loyal servant to start playing a starring role in this Steven Gerrard era.
Another season without a trophy and Tavernier will have had his third consecutive unsuccessful season.
