Has Steven Gerrard pulled off a James Tavernier masterstroke?

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Has Steven Gerrard pulled off a James Tavernier masterstroke?

 Article by: Kirsty

With the current interest in James Tavernier currently stepping up a notch at Ibrox with offers from Championship side West Brom and another on the cards from Brighton, I couldn’t help but wonder something about the decision to make Tavernier captain of our Great Club.

We got an interesting comment on the site suggesting anyone who thought Steven Gerrard made Tav captain only to sell him was on ‘another planet’.

According to Sky Sources it is suggested that the bid that came in from West Brom was £3m. Hardly to be sniffed at and with Barisic coming in we wouldn’t need to look for a replacement re: Flanagan over on the right. Anyway I digress from what I set out to say.

We here at IN didn’t agree much when Stevie Ger gave Tavernier the armband. We didn’t (and don’t) find him captain material. He lacks substantially in our opinion albeit slightly better in leadership v Aberdeen. Which got me thinking.

Has making Tav captain been deliberate, tactical? Any Rangers captain is always elevated up a level of superiority, whether they’re captain material or not. Making Tav captain would help to bolster his status as a Rangers player, and crucially, his value – the fact Rangers are holding out for £5M shows we are open to selling.

It is clear Brighton and West Brom have been tracking him for months, and Gerrard would know that – he would know bids were coming in. But he’d want a healthy chunk of cash for said player.

Get other teams interested and hopefully, hopefully, sell him at a premium. Essentially ‘falsely’ elevating his credibility. Now I may be well off the mark guys and Stevie Ger might truly think Tav is captain material, but then again I might just be right in my observation and it was an astute and tactical switch.

Furthermore, Stevie has been massive in his praise for Ryan Jack, calling him amazing and making him ‘jealous’ of his contribution. Jack was captain at Aberdeen.

Maybe it’s 1+1=5.

Or maybe I’m onto something?

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22 COMMENTS

  1. I personally hope Tav stays. He has the potential to improve under Gerrard and become an even bigger finance asset than he is now. My issue on timing is that the biggest game of our recent history is being played in 7 hours. We have no left back available for this game for Flanagan to move to RB , making the squad unsettled at this point in the English window makes no sense. I do think your point about being Captain is valid and quite interesting but holding out until January or next summer could net us a better deal. I also want to see if Tav does play RM and how that develops.

    • Fair comment, Tav gets a lot of unfair stick im opinion, he creates so much for us and I don't think he is going anywhere.

  2. Selling him 9nly makes sense if it is a big bid, if suggest 6-7m with a sell on clause.

    He is a flawed defender, but he is vital to our attack.

  3. I agree with Martin. It would not be good to sell him today, and I do suspect he will continue to improve under SG. My thoughts are he was made captain to try and lock him in to rangers, it was done at a time when rumours were starting that clubs in England were showing interest in him. Fingers crossed he is still here at 5pm today!

  4. Tav's crossing, ability to go past players while in possession and his energy- he's normally the one player we have bombing up and down the wing even in injury time – are key assets. He's an excellent player. I'd love to see his total assists since he joined. His defending had improved however he could easily move up to RW with Flanagan at RB. I don't understand the rockets who have a go at him constantly. It seems to me there are some eejits around who think a player can't be a captain unless he's verbally abusing his teammates. If you think that's how to inspire people then you need your head examined. Tav frankly never quite trying, that's the kind of inspiration a team needs in the 90th minute of a tough game.

  5. Declan John having a medical at Swansea as per sky sports and according to fourladshadadream Josh shitearse has signed for Wigan for 2 million plus add-ons…No Surrender…

  6. For the first time I find myself agreeing with an Ibrox Noise article in its entirety, only find it's written by a bloke called KIRSTY, I too couldn't fathom the whole make the weak player (defensively)captain thing as it's the only foot wrong he has done so far imho. we are I'm afraid in the minority on this one

    • We can assure you Donald, Kirsty is a valued member of the team on here and has been with us for a long time. And isn't in any shape or form a bloke.

  7. My view is the polar opposite. I believe he made Tav Captain to keep him. Being Captain of a Glasgow Rangers on the up beats being a championship or lower prem league player. All day long.

    The player has confessed many time he feels he has unfinished business in Glasgow. What better than getting a massive boost by be appointed captain by one of the greatest English Captains of his generation and all round superstar in Stevie G.

    I’ve a feeling Tav won’t want to go anywhere in a hurry now he’s SG’s main man. No doubt this money has stepped up with the appointment.

  8. This is certainly going to prove a defining day in many respects.
    With the deadline for transfers running in tandem with preparations for the game, there are bound to developments heading our way.
    For one, the rumours regarding Josh appear to be strong. This would leave us short of another attacking player…suggesting we may be about to introduce one, or perhaps two strikers.
    In the case of Tav, the IBROX NOISE theory that there is a tactical nuance at play in making him captain certainly made for interesting reading.
    I, for one, would be disappointed if there was an ulterior motive behind this.
    As a player, he has performed admirably on the field in spite having to adjust to the demands of a variety of dubious managerial wannabees..
    As a person, he has held his dignity throughout, remaining committed, positive and non-controversial. On these levels alone, he should be retained at all costs.
    Then again, maybe there are some who would prefer a break-a-leg enforcer.

  9. I do not understand the concern about Tab being sold. We have able cover in the versatile Andy Halliday.

  10. Docherty out on loan is sick I liked the lad and thought he would learn alot this season with the manager being a central midfielder as Rossiter is just a waste of wages with his injuries we cant count him as a squad member, Windass gone for £2.5m, John goes for 800k, there has to be big sell on fee percentages into these deals or Mark Allen needs the boot. Looking at Waghorns fee now is just shocking we got well stitched up last season selling him for peanuts.

    Tav can't be sold he is vital to our attack and Gerrard must play him and Candeias down that right together & get that same momentum flowing down the left flank with Barisic & Murphy.

  11. It is a good price for a not being a full international player i say keep setting the price higher so we always get the top price.

  12. I feel we get too emotional, about players. Surely what's best for RFC must come first. Players are well adapted to coming and going. It's the footballers life. Tav has done a job for us, I agree. But if selling him will better us, then so be it.

  13. Id keep Tavernier unless we get offered £5mill Minimum 👍

    And even tho I wanted Windass to leave, I do think we should have got a little more for him but given we got him for buttons, I am happy enough with 2.5mill

    Also agree with you Barry
    …Think sticking Docherty out on Loan is a Mistake.

    • Young players like Docherty will learn nothing sitting on the bench. Sending him out to a different environment getting plenty of game time will bring his game on leaps and bounds. I just don't see him getting many games, right or wrong, in the current side.

  14. Tav has his weaknesses but his pluses far outweigh them. £7milliion player in today's market no doubt. He was immense tonight as was coulibally (what a player) sorry if I spelt that wrong it's a pleasure to watch again after all these years of covering my eyes. Thank you Steven and Dave

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