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Philippe Clement breaks big Rangers rule after James Tavernier question as Belgian lifts lid on captain’s future
Alan Pattullo
By Alan Pattullo
Published 2nd Aug 2024, 19:00 BST
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After weeks of transfer speculation, captain will lead team out against Hearts on opening day
From Murrayfield to Tynecastle, from outcast back to leader again. The journey between these two stadiums might only be a matter of several hundred yards as the crow flies. However, James Tavernier’s status at Rangers appears to have undergone a dramatic shift in the fortnight between the team’s recent visits to these nearby Edinburgh arenas.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement has confirmed that the skipper will lead the team out in Saturday’s opening Premiership clash against Hearts. It was an unusually forthright pronouncement from the Belgian, who said it would be the first and last time this season that he would be so loose lipped on the subject of team personnel. “I will give it one time a year so this (is) the one time I say yes about selection and who is going to start,” he said.
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Tavernier is a special case in fairness. The 32-year-old is a modern day Ibrox legend so where he stands currently is a matter of significance, particularly given the mood music when he was missing, presumed tying up a transfer to Turkish club Trabzonspor, when Rangers played Manchester United at the home of Scottish rugby as recently as two weeks ago.
James Tavernier, pictured alongside manager Philippe Clement, will lead Rangers out against Hearts
James Tavernier, pictured alongside manager Philippe Clement, will lead Rangers out against Hearts | SNS Group
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Clement was providing few revelations that day. Indeed, he wasn’t available to answer reporters’ queries at all. The Belgian had to rush off to attend a wedding reception following the 2-0 defeat. He left the task of explaining Tavernier’s absence to coach and former player Alex Rae, who did his best. “We just deal with it as it happens,” he said. “There is nothing to report, as such.”
No one left Murrayfield that day convinced Tavernier’s long association with the club would continue into a tenth, testimonial-warranting, season. Yet there he will be on Saturday, leading a slightly unfamiliar-looking Rangers side out at Tynecastle.
The longer this summer went on it seemed to be becoming increasingly apparent that he had made the last of 315 league appearances for the club at the same stadium on the last day of the previous campaign. Not so, it has emerged. Tavernier’s great Rangers story – and it is great, let no one argue with this – will continue, for the time being at least.
Of course, familiarity has often bred contempt in the case of the long-serving full-back. He is first in the line for barracking when Rangers fall short. Such persecution might be even more pronounced now in the aftermath of fellow fall-guy Connor Goldson’s exit.
The outrage will be merciless if there are any defensive calamities, specifically down the right side, against Hearts and, providing he keeps his place, against Dynamo Kyiv next midweek in a tough-looking Champions League qualifier in Poland.
Dujon Sterling will miss out at Tynecastle.
Dujon Sterling will miss out at Tynecastle. | SNS Group
Clement also revealed that Dujon Sterling, a potential Tavernier replacement, isn’t fit enough to feature this weekend, having missed last weekend’s Union Berlin friendly. The manager is hopeful he will recover in time for Tuesday.
As for Tavernier, he could be set to stick around, as he confirmed himself in an interview with Rangers TV in midweek. Clement stressed that he was glad to hear this. “Of course,” said the Belgian, although the manager did admit something has to change in the way Tavernier is deployed by Rangers.
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