Russell Martin red flags emerge already, one is due to James Tavernier
Russell Martin’s appointment as Rangers’ new manager has proved to be a controversial one so far.
The Govan outfit announced the former Southampton and Swansea City chief as their new boss on Thursday (5 June), but are already set for a period of major activity in the transfer market.
He is already lining up a move for Flynn Downes, who he had at both Swansea and Southampton, but it is that Southampton stint that is causing concern for Bears fans at present.
Martin got Saints promoted playing an expansive and entertaining brand of possession football, but that style then saw them get picked apart on countless occasions in the Premier League, resulting in the South Coast side relieving him of his duties.
Martin must quickly address James Tavernier’s decline
Such is the nature of the job at Rangers that Martin will already be under pressure to begin working towards putting a stop to Celtic’s recent dominance of the Premiership.
However, as with any managerial job, one of Martin’s main priorities will be to assess what he already has at his disposal before transfer preparations can truly be put into practice.
The 39-year-old has two immediate issues that he must find a solution for in the early stages of his Ibrox reign, according to the Scottish Mail on Sunday’s Gary Keown (8 June, pg. 84).
One is the fact that Martin must establish an effective Plan B for when his side encounters tricky European clashes where they can’t dominate the ball. The other concerns the future of club captain, James Tavernier.
Keown wrote: “With Tavernier, the situation seems clear. There was a period over the course of last term where he had to be left out of the team under the failing Philippe Clement because his performances had dipped and supporters simply weren’t having him any longer.
“The guy will turn 34 pretty early in the season. He is not in a position to turn the ship around here. He has served the club well, but his time is up. His powers are fading, his offensive stats no longer counteract his defensive frailties.”
Now could be a good time for Tavernier to move on
Martin’s appointment is set to bring about a new era at Ibrox. The 39-year-old is very firmly set in the way he wants his sides to play, and with Rangers’ takeover now complete and the new board in place, things could look very different for the Bears from now onwards.
As a result, now could be a good time to reluctantly say goodbye to a man who has given so much to the club in recent years.
Tavernier has become a genuine club legend throughout his 10-year stay at Rangers. He has notched over 500 appearances for the club and plundered 130 goals, a scarcely believable total for a right-back.
| Seasons | Apps | Goals | Assists |
| 10 | 513 | 130 | 120 |
That attacking productivity has always been a hallmark of his game, but it may now be time for Rangers to try and find that creativity elsewhere in the team.
Martin’s style of football is naturally quite open and expansive, meaning that defenders who are extremely reliable and resolute defensively are a must if you want to achieve success.
For all his strengths, Tavernier isn’t either of those things, and could become exposed far too easily in a Martin system.
As a result, it may make sense for Rangers to cash in on the former Newcastle and Wigan man and reinvest that money elsewhere in the squad.