James Tavernier opens up on ‘full brunt’ of criticism received from Rangers supporters
James Tavernier accepts he will “get the full brunt” of any criticism from Rangers supporters as captain, but hopes that is now a thing of the past.
The Gers players have been jeered by their own fans at times this season, even in victory, after making a poor start to the 2023-24 campaign.
Michael Beale paid the price when sacked as manager on 1 October, with Philippe Clement being appointed as his replacement two weeks later.
Speaking ahead of Clement’s first game in charge this weekend, Tavernier was asked at Friday’s (20 October) pre-match press conference what he has made of the criticism aimed his way in particular.
“When you are losing the manager it is never nice,” he said, as quoted by Rangers Review (20 October). “If you are losing the manager then you are not pulling through with the results.
“I am at the front with the manager so we get the full brunt of it, but I have got big shoulders and can accept what comes my way. You have to learn and try to improve, especially as a player.
“As a captain, you have to try and learn from it and galvanise the squad again and go again.”
Fresh start
A number of Rangers supporters made their thoughts towards Beale and the players clear when jeering after the 1-0 win over Motherwell on 24 September.
Another win over Livingston would follow, but a home defeat to Aberdeen ultimately proved to be the end of the road for Beale.
Tavernier is right in that, as the face of this Rangers side, he will at times come in for more criticism than others, particularly when he is himself failing to perform.
While it may seem harsh, Gers fans just want to see their side performing to a level they know they are capable of week in, week out. That was simply not the case over the opening two months of the season.
Now that Beale is out and Clement is in, the fans will get fully behind the players – Tavernier among them – when a new era starts against Hibernian this weekend.
In other Rangers news, a Gers player has been praised for making the “best decision” of his career.