As Ibrox Noise broke a number of days ago, Rangers have already decided on a new captain, and it was already confirmed publicly some time ago. Rangers captain James Tavernier, as we know, is leaving this summer, and there are a number of reasons for his departure, some of which we have already discussed. But one significant one is that he was going to be replaced this summer as captain. Manager Danny Rohl has already announced that he was going to install a new captain. He hadn’t said it explicitly in words, but he had described how a certain individual was 100% his man on the pitch.
How Danny Rohl undermined Him
Now, this in itself is a part of what we are going to discuss in this piece. How Danny Rohl undermined James Tavernier by confirming that Tavernier was not his man on the pitch. That the club captain, the team captain, and so many fans’ pick of their captain was no longer his captain. We did a poll recently on Ibrox Noise where next season’s captain was chosen by fans as Nico Raskin. So most fans had already moved on from Tavernier as captain in a choice between the two.
However, Rohl undermined his own captain by announcing that Raskin was his man on the pitch, not the current incumbent. We found this a very curious statement for a manager to make. Not his very first faux pas. But we have to say a bit disrespectful to Tavernier.
Rangers fans had already chosen Nico Raskin
Now, of course, Ibrox Noise ourselves don’t have a great amount of respect as it is for Rangers captain James Tavernier. Sorry, not sorry, but we just don’t. However, he was the captain, is the captain, and for the manager to say that his man on the pitch is not the captain undermines the captain. Tavernier has been instantly demoted by role, and Raskin is his man on the pitch.
Fair enough, many would say that the manager picks the captain. However, the fact is that the captain had already been installed a long time ago, and it was Tavernier, whether we like it or not.
Why Rohl’s statement about Rangers captain Tav was controversial
And for Rohl to come out and announce Raskin as his man on the pitch and not Tavernier, we are a little surprised that he would say such a thing. Indeed, while he’s obviously always been fairly flattering about Tavernier, nevertheless, at the same time, he has never truly endorsed him as his captain.
Raskin is clearly his captain now. That’s the new man in the position for next season. That will carry caveats in itself, which we will get to in a separate piece.
Why Tavernier is moving on
But while Rohl never exactly fell out with Rangers captain James Tavernier and vice versa, there’s no question that the relationship between the two isn’t the rosiest of all time. Rohl clearly didn’t see Tavernier as his captain. He saw Raskin instead as his leader. And Tavernier, as one of the many reasons for it, has decided enough is enough and he’s moving on. Que sera.