Boyd a huge fan of first major decision Martin has made as Rangers manager
Russell Martin faces a huge summer as the new Rangers manager.
The former Gers player was appointed as Barry Ferguson’s successor on 5 June as a long search was brought to an end.
He has several tasks to achieve before the new season starts at Ibrox, with incomings and outgoings likely to be top of the agenda.
However, he has already made his first major decision of his reign in Govan.
Boyd impressed as Martin makes Tavernier decision
Martin has chosen to stick with the status quo and keep James Tavernier as his captain for the foreseeable future.
The 33-year-old suffered from a poor spell of form last season, but the former Southampton boss backed the Englishman to retain his armband last week.
Boyd approved of that decision, as in quotes reported by the Scottish Daily Mail (10 June), he said: “I think in football, and in life, when you go looking for problems, then you’re going to find them. They’ll come to you anyway. There’s no point in going looking for them.
“So, I can totally understand where Russell Martin’s coming from.
“You’re looking for people who have delivered in games and have done well for a period of time because he’s going to need experienced players. There’s no getting away from it. You need big characters.”
Tavernier faces testing period at Rangers
Tavernier is a club legend, having led the Gers to the Scottish Premiership in the 2020-21 campaign and made over 500 appearances, while contributing to over 272 goals and assists – a sensational figure for a right-back.
However, his time at the top is coming to an end and he needs a remarkable bounce-back if he is to stick around beyond the expiry of his contract in the summer of 2026.
Martin has given his immediate backing to his skipper, but if his performances do not improve drastically, the exit door could be on the cards and his Light Blues career could come to an end with a whimper.
For now, though, he will seemingly get the chance to extend his stint in Govan in a prominent role and this is something to be said for stability in the face of change.
Too much overhaul at once can be a bad thing, although the 49ers Enterprises and Andrew Cavenagh need to back Martin to make significant additions to the squad this summer as it is sorely lacking.
If they are to have any chance of catching Brendan Rodgers‘ side, they need Tavernier back at his best, but whether that is possible remains to be seen.