James Tavernier will captain the Rangers squad in the opening game of the season on Saturday lunchtime against Hearts, according to Philippe Clement, who normally doesn’t release team news prior to a weekend match.
Despite Tavernier’s incredible goal and assist ratio, a substantial percentage of the fan base believes the captain’s time is over and he should go on.
The Belgian, who has committed himself to Ibrox for the next four years with a contract extension, is social media savvy enough to detect this.
Although the club could still get an irresistible offer, Clement is aware of Tavernier’s importance in his desire to defeat Celtic this season.
Tavernier is beginning his tenth season at Ibrox. Knowing that it can be both a burden and an honor, Clement has personally worn the armband throughout his lengthy and prosperous playing career.
He is certain that Tavernier is the best person to guide the Gers into the upcoming campaign, though, having seen how he handles criticism.
“That (criticism) is part of the job as a Rangers captain, and I have been there and done that in other clubs,” he stated. Similar to Club Brugge, which has a fervent fan base and strong standards that demand perfection.
You are aware that when you lose, not everyone looks at the captain. That’s a task for the job. His ability to handle that makes him a good match for that role. I’ve saw a number of individuals break in that circumstance in the past as well.
Towards the end of the previous season, Tavernier’s play declined, but Clement stated: “He had one disadvantage that he played all the games last season, and that is also my responsibility.”
We want to address that for this season because I believe that at times he was not as fresh as he should have been. The individuals required to fill that role must also be physically fit.
Tav has a great appetite for making a great season, in my opinion. “It is unfortunate that he missed some preparation time due to his two-week absence, but I have high expectations for him this season.” His goals and assists have made a significant impact.
Yes, he will get going. This is the only occasion I will agree to selection and who will start for the team, as I only offer team selection once a year.
Clement lost a leader when Connor Goldson left for Cyprus but believes he has brought one in as Robin Propper prepares to make his debut if paperwork issues are cleared up in time for the Tynecastle clash.
Clement is delighted to have the experienced Dutch defender on board from Twente.
The Rangers boss said: “He is going to bring leadership. He is going to bring coaching qualities on the pitch and a good example to young players of how to be professional. He has really good qualities on the ball also, so he is going to help us to play a good kind of football.
“Having somebody like him is gold for players like Clinton Nsiala, it’s why we also re-signed Leon Balogun. It’s not only to play or be part of on the pitch but also off it.
Having somebody like him is gold for players like Clinton Nsiala, it’s why we also re-signed Leon Balogun. It’s not only to play or be part of on the pitch but also off it.
“It’s important to create a top sport culture where everyone is on their toes every day. With ambition to become better. If we can create this culture it is our job as a staff to give them all the tools to develop every day and challenge them. You need people with the right mentality coming into the building.
“We had a lot of talks with these players before they came in about that, themselves, their past and their experience. But also what Rangers is about because this is a special place to come to. You love it or you hate it. I love it which is why I want to stay.
The good thing is physically he (Propper) is ready to play because he had a normal preparation with Twente who play at a good level and he played enough games. Of course, he needs to adapt to how we want to play because it’s different to Twente.”
Clement has changed the face of the squad with nine new signings this summer with, he hopes, more to come.
One of them, young Moroccan striker Hamza Igamane cost £1.5m and is being hailed as a major star for the future and Clement is adamant the support will have to be patient before clapping eyes on him.
And while Igamane is prepared for action, the Belgian is expecting plenty from the men who are fit enough to lead the line. He added: “Igamane is a young boy with a lot of potential but who never trained at the level we are training now.
I can make the fans happy to put him directly in and then he gets injured and they cannot enjoy him the next couple of months. That is not the idea.
For the moment he is more in an individual programme to make him better and then to get him in the first-team squad training and afterwards to get him playing minutes.
“His mentality is great. For him it is like a new world opening up, every day he is experiencing something new. He is hungry and ambitious to become better and we see a good evolution in the short time he is here.
Cyriel (Dessers) will kick on what he did last season and I only see him grow and become better. With Danilo, he comes back from six months injury. If we can get him to a normal level from before and get him better he will score his goals.”
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