James Tavernier change noticed as ‘unbelievable’ Rangers captain linked with Ibrox exit
James Tavernier has developed into a more vocal captain at Rangers this season having grown into the role increasingly in recent years, according to Derek Ferguson.
The Light Blues right-back, 32, has again broken the 20-goal barrier this term (24 so far) to earn himself a nomination for the PFA Player of the Year award, and the former Ibrox midfielder feels the “incredible” defender deserves all the plaudits he gets.
Tavernier’s future at the club has been called into question again amid renewed links to joining up with Steven Gerrard in Saudi Arabia, although the player himself has refused to be drawn on the “speculation”.
Either way Ferguson is delighted with the Rangers skipper, who broke the record as the highest scoring British defender in history with his strike against Hibs on 30 March, and believes his style of captaincy has developed recently.
He exclusively told Ibrox News: “He’s not got a ceiling, it’s incredible. And he’s become more of a captain in my eyes of the course of the last season or two.
“Everyone says he’s not the most vocal, he leads by example, but I can see him being more vocal.
“But at times over the course of the last number of seasons we’ve been in a sticky place and he’s got us out of jail. All the plaudits he’s received he deserves them big time.
“The strike to break the record, he misses a penalty but a lot of players miss penalties. But he doesn’t get disappointed, he keeps his focus and the strike was a great strike to keep it down.
“If you look at a montage of all the goals that he’s scored there’s some unbelievable strikes, he’s just been absolutely brilliant for us, so he has, and we all love him to death.”
Rangers captain front and centre for Philippe Clement
True to form Tavernier has been at the forefront of this Rangers side in both good times and bad this season.
Under Philippe Clement there has been more of the former than the latter, but a recent loss of form from the team which handed the advantage in the title race back to Celtic has seen the captain criticised defensively once more.
The manager has made clear that he expects he full-back and fellow under-fire veteran Connor Goldson to reprise important roles next season, and were Tavernier to leave he would certainly leave a huge gap in production to replace after another important campaign.
In other Rangers news, the club aren’t expected to be able to afford a high-priced permanent transfer but have been backed to complete a move for a player “you would have bitten your hand off” for.
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