James Tavernier’s Rangers Future in Doubt After Cup Exit
James Tavernier’s legacy at Rangers is a complex one. The club captain is approaching 500 appearances, has scored over 100 goals from right-back, and will mark a decade at Ibrox come July. Yet, despite his impressive individual contributions, his name is often associated with the club’s underwhelming performances over the past ten years.
At 33, Tavernier has won just three major trophies—a disappointing return for a club of Rangers’ stature, particularly as they continue to struggle in the shadow of Celtic. Last weekend’s shocking 1-0 Scottish Cup defeat to second-tier Queen’s Park encapsulated his Rangers career, with his late penalty miss proving costly for both the team and manager Philippe Clement.
Rangers Likely to Move On from Tavernier This Summer
The significance of that moment was highlighted in the Daily Mail’s Rangers Confidential column (13 February), stating: “The catastrophic cost of that miss on Sunday has exposed him to the worst of the criticism from supporters, many of whom had already argued that his time was up.”
This sentiment is becoming difficult to ignore. Many Rangers fans now believe that Tavernier’s tenure should come to an end, and while it may seem harsh, there is growing acceptance that his time at Ibrox is running out.
Although he remains under contract until the summer of 2026, speculation about his departure was already strong last summer. Given the circumstances, it feels increasingly likely that this season will mark his final chapter at the club.
Tavernier: A Victim of Rangers’ Poor Decision-Making
Tavernier’s time at Rangers will be remembered for his exceptional attacking output from defence, but there is an underlying sense that more could have been achieved. This isn’t necessarily a criticism of him as a player but rather a reflection of the club’s mismanagement, particularly in the years following Steven Gerrard’s title-winning season in 2021.
That 55th league triumph should have been the foundation for sustained success, yet Rangers have largely fallen into mediocrity. Whether fair or not, Tavernier is often associated with this period, and as a result, a parting of ways now seems inevitable.
