Philippe Clement, a ten-year captain of Club Brugge, knows more than anyone about what it’s like to be James Tavernier.
The Englishman has 467 Rangers appearances under his belt with 125 goals. He has won the Scottish Cup and is the top scoring defender in British football. In 2022, he captained the Rangers squad in the Europa League final and won the Premiership, Scottish Cup, and League Cup.
That would be a record to treasure in any other football environment. Tavernier is now considered a failed poster child in a city where rivals Celtic have won five domestic Trebles in the last eight years. Two weeks ago, following the most recent loss to Celtic, pictures of a Rangers fan assaulting the captain outside of Ibrox surfaced on social media.
Clement insisted there was never any prospect of his on-field lieutenant doing a midnight flit before the Turkish transfer window closed last night, despite the accusations he’d had enough. The Belgian now claims there were no offers despite widespread rumors to the contrary.
Phillipe Clement has offered his full support to Rangers captain James Tavernier
The defender is hoping to get back to top form after enduring a shaky start to the season
He was roundly criticised by Rangers supporters after last month’s defeat to Celtic
‘I don’t know what is real about all these rumours,’ shrugs Clement. ‘There were no offers in the club in that way.
‘So he’s been for sure the player in Scotland. And for me, in all my career, who made so many transfers already without anything. That’s for sure.
‘In eight months, I’ve never seen a player making so many transfers. Because I read so many times that he was going to go there and there and there.
‘And he’s still here and never came to my office saying “I want to go”.
‘And there was never an offer in that way towards the club. So let’s not talk too much about rumours.’
Forthcoming on the supporter abuse which followed the defeat to Celtic, Clement himself was forced to explain himself en route to the car park after the game.
Supporters seemed less concerned with possession stats and shots on target than the manager, preferring to focus on a performance and scoreline which left them five points adrift of Celtic. By 5pm this evening the gap could be up to eight and, for players like Tavernier, these are difficult times to be a Rangers player.
Asked how his captain had reacted to the abuse of one supporter spilling over, Clement praised Tavernier for a ‘mature’ response and shared his own experience of life as a club figurehead with his captain.
Tavernier couldn’t lead his side to the Champions League after suffering defeat to Dynamo Kyiv
Tavernier has been linked with a move away but no bids have been received as of yet
‘We talked about (what happened). It’s not a nice thing. If you’re a captain, you’re a symbol of a team. And people see you that way.
‘I had the same experiences before in Brugge. And I was there 10 years like Tav.
‘In the moments when it’s really good, it’s really nice to be captain. And in moments when the team doesn’t perform then it’s not — but it’s not only about you.
‘It’s about the team. And you don’t reach the expectations of the fans at that moment.
‘You’re the first one that they talk to or that they yell to at that moment.
‘So I had these moments also in my career. It’s part of being captain.
‘And I have to say he takes it really mature. And he’s very motivated to get really good results in the next couple of months. And to get the love back of everybody in the club. The love is from a lot of people still there.
‘And some people were very, very disappointed after the Celtic game. Which we can understand. Because we were also.
It’s easy to run away from your responsibility. He totally doesn’t do that. But he doesn’t need it also to have a fuel and motivation. So it’s somewhere in between.’
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