Credit: Manh Tung/Breaking Media

Daniel Davis

Sun 12 April 2026 17:10, UK

James Tavernier was restored to Rangers‘ starting XI at Falkirk in bizarre circumstances.

Pre-match, Danny Rohl confirmed that Dujon Sterling missed out entirely due to the astroturf at the Falkirk Stadium, declaring it was “not possible” for him to play on the surface. Thrust back into the firing line, Tavernier demonstrated exactly why he looks set to leave Ibrox.

Contrastingly, Sterling has been impressive at right-back, putting in his best performance last time out against Dundee United. Whether he will inherit the right-back spot for the long-term remains to be seen, but either way, Tavernier’s days are numbered.

Uncertainty continues to dog the future of the 34-year-old veteran, whose contract is up at the end of the season, and Rangers have not yet decided whether to hand him a new deal.

There are concerns over his advancing age and the potential length of any fresh terms, while criticism over Tavernier’s performances has reached fever pitch in recent weeks.

Rangers’ James Tavernier contract dilemma

Tavernier would prefer to stay at Rangers, but time is running out for him to ensure the legacy he leaves behind will be a positive one. Despite his 11 years of distinguished service and amassing 562 appearances – quite a return on his £150,000 move – he splits opinion.

Unfortunately, his current eulogy would be a mixed one. He has netted 144 goals and registered 148 assists since arriving at Ibrox back in 2015, while he became the top-scoring defender in British football history in 2014 after bagging his 131st.

Deservedly welcomed into Rangers’ Hall of Fame, Tavernier has been a mainstay in every team and under every manager over the past decade. There is a clear reason why.

He has long been viewed as Mr Reliable, having helped the Gers return to the Premiership in his debut campaign, led them to their top-flight title in 10 years and also lifted the Scottish Cup and League Cup. But Tavernier will know it should have been much more.

His influence in Glasgow is fading. He is no longer an automatic starter and as a result, there has been no big push from the Ibrox hierarchy to tie him down to a new deal. Some may accuse the club of almost accepting that a parting of the ways is the best course of action.

Those who regularly watch his performances are divided into two distinct camps. On one side, he is rightly lauded for his outrageous attacking numbers. But on the other hand, his critics will point to his defensive flaws, which were on show once again at Falkirk.

His outing on Sunday lunchtime encapsulated Rangers’ dilemma.

In the first half, he was truly dismal, as were too many of his team-mates. He was caught on his heels for Falkirk’s opening goal, having pushed up the touchline before a turnover. For the hosts’ second, he pointed to the unmarked Finn Yeats before he fired into the bottom corner.

But Tavernier and Rangers hurtled out of the blocks after the interval, having seemingly realised they were in a title race. Either that, or Rohl had sent expletives in their direction.

Admittedly aided by Falkirk’s collapse, the right-back took up advanced positions, sending in dangerous crosses and combining with the forwards. However, he was still alarmingly poor at the other end, proven by his cynical tug back on Filip Lissah at the expense of a penalty.

His defensive vulnerability is not a new complaint and has, in fact, hounded him over the past decade. This time, though, his error-strewn display was simply too far. Rohl has a difficult decision to make over Tavernier’s future, and he must be ruthless.

Tavernier the nearly-man at Ibrox

Since arriving in Govan, Tavernier has competed for 30 major trophies. How many of those has he won, you ask? Three. Chris Sutton sent a mischievous dagger his way ahead of the 2019 League Cup final after describing him as a “serial loser”, but he had a point.

While Celtic’s dominance during this spell must be taken into consideration, Tavernier’s return, in terms of cold, hard silverware, has not been good enough. No player in Rangers’ history has lost more Old Firm matches, too – hardly a glowing indictment of his leadership.

There is no doubt that Tavernier remains a superb professional. Behind the scenes, he has rarely complained or pinned the blame for his individual woes on anyone else.

But so close, yet so far has been the recurring theme for him at Ibrox for too many years, and this reputation threatens to dog him until his final day at the club, barring an incredible Premiership title win this season. Time and tide wait for no man – not even history-makers.

Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the heart of Govan.