James Tavernier hails Rangers teammates 'man enough' to face shootout as Ibrox career reaches crucial moment
Rangers captain James Tavernier has reached a pivotal moment in his Ibrox career after losing on penalties to Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup Final.
From the highest highs to the lowest of lows, Rangers’ long-serving skipper James Tavernier has experienced just about every emotion possible during his almost decade-long stint at Ibrox.
An underappreciated club icon to some, others have called for him to be replaced in the Gers starting XI. However, following the pulsating Premier Sports Cup final defeat to Celtic, his exasperated expression was one of a man who knows his legacy will be judged on solely how much silverware he helps put in the Ibrox trophy room, not public opinion.
Rangers twice clawed themselves back into game to draw 3-3 to take the game to penalties at Hampden, but were left heartbroken once again after Kasper Schmeichel’s crucial penalty save from Ridvan Yilmaz saw them prevail 5-4 in the shootout Few have been forced to face the music as often as the Gers captain, but in the aftermath of the energy sapping defeat to Celtic, it was Tavernier who fronted up once again.
“It’s obviously tough,” reflected the skipper. “It reminds us a bit of Seville [the Europa League final defeat to Frankfurt], losing a game on penalties - it is never nice. We put ourselves in a good position at half-time. We emphasised going back out there and treating it as if it was 0-0, and to try and be clinical with our chances. But we’re disappointed that we conceded a couple of goals in that manner.
“The aim of today is to win a trophy, and we didn’t do that. We’ll look back and find small improvements in different places. We’ve got to be more clinical, with the four on one chance - that’s the fine margins in big games like this. There’s a lot to learn from the game. We put ourselves in a good position, and kept working hard until the end. It’s a flip of a coin when it goes down to penalties.”
The 33-year-old has led Rangers to three major trophies, was key in their memorable run to the Europa League final in 2022 and become the highest scoring defender in British football history during his almost decade-long stint in Govan. However, Rangers’ consistent failure to overthrow rivals Celtic during his time with the armband means he remains a polarising figure on the Ibrox terraces.
Not for the first time, his leadership was called into question following Rangers previous last Old Firm defeat - a meek 3-0 loss in September - but the ding-dong battle at the weekend Tavernier and his teammates show serious character in order to force extra-time in Mount Florida when the game looked all but lost. It’s something Tavernier has gotten used to in his time in Glasgow.
“We are in the front line,” said Tavernier. “The manager and myself, being captain at a huge club like Rangers, you’re going to take the heat. I’m more than prepared to take it, I’ve just got to galvanise the lads and we go again next week. We’ve been doing really well over the last few weeks, defensively, as a team.
“That’s why I say the manner of a couple of the goals we’ll be really disappointed in. We probably gave them to Celtic too cheaply. The other aspect is we need to be more clinical. But the game has been decided on a penalty shootout.”
In a season that began with him being heavily linked with a move abroad and then taken out of Philippe Clement’s starting XI, the experienced full-back has shown tenacity to get back into the side, with a spate of goals and assists issuing a strong reminder of his importance to the Rangers cause.
Taking on the responsibility of scoring his side’s opening penalty in the shootout, Tavernier dispatched his spot kick coolly beyond the outstretched arm of Schmeichel before signalling his delight to the vocal Rangers support. His job done, yet still he was forced to look on as Celtic paraded yet another trophy in front of his dejected teammates.
“I’m captain and I’ll obviously take the first penalty,” said Tavernier. “I’m proud of everyone who was man enough to step up and take a penalty. These games, the fine margins - it hurts when you lose on penalties. I’m just proud of the lads who actually went up and took one. We are getting strong as a team, compared to the first Old Firm you’ve seen. We’re improving as a team, especially with how young it is. At the end of the day though, we didn’t win so we’ve obviously got to think about that.
With sounds of Celtic celebration pounding through the Hampden walls as he addressed the waiting press, the anguish was clear. as he tried to explain how Rangers had fallen at the hands of their rivals yet again, despite a valiant display. In a football city divided by loyalties and defined by winning trophies, Tavernier knows his Rangers legacy sits upon a thin line between hero and perennial underachiever - and that line is growing thinner with each passing failure to win silverware.
But despite enduring the most testing six months of his Rangers career, he isn’t ready to hit the canvas just yet and promised the Rangers support he won’t feel sorry for himself, and will begin picking up his teammates immediately as he attempts to drag Rangers into better times in the months ahead.
“I’ve always been ready to lead. There’s been small tweaks which have helped my game. I’ll continue to keep pushing myself, I still felt strong after the final whistle went, I’ll continue to push myself and the boys hard. I’ll always step up.”
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