If there is one topic that left an especially sour taste at the end of last season, it was of course that of the exit of James Tavernier.
Ibrox Noise was never a huge fan of Rangers’ former captain. We thought he was a very poor leader and not an especially good defender.
Most of his goodwill came by assists and goals, none of which were actually his job.
He was the Rangers equivalent of a plumber. One who leaves the faulty toilet to deal with the fuse box upstairs, only to return to a flooded bathroom.
He simply was not doing the job that he was supposed to be doing, even if the alternative he was doing rather well.
A Poor Farewell
The point being, however, that while Ibrox Noise have our misgivings about Tavernier, and quite a few of them, we do accept that he deserved better than he got at Rangers.
The way that Daniel Rohl treated him for the final Ibrox matchday was rather poor. Not giving him the chance to lead the team out for the final time at Ibrox.
As a captain, this, we believe, was an incredibly dire choice from the manager, which showed astonishingly poor man management.
However, there is a further problem which takes even more of an issue with the Rangers fans. And that is that James Tavernier appears to be getting no testimonial at all.
No Testimonial In Sight
After 11 years with the club, it is always regarded that a 10 year tenure will see a player being given a testimonial.
All players, generally speaking, will get a testimonial after 10 years of service with a club.
James Tavernier has inexplicably been completely denied this.
This summer, we would have expected the testimonial to take place. For any match which involved honouring Tavernier’s 11 years of service to have been promoted at some point.
Yes, we are well aware there is a World Cup, but it does not last the whole summer.
The fact that there has been no announcement or any works in progress regarding a testimonial is, we consider, bizarre.
The Purpose Of A Testimonial
Yes, Rangers have made Tavernier a very wealthy man.
The point of a testimonial usually is to honour a player by giving them a massive payday whereby they take the majority, if not all, of the gate receipts into their own pocket.
It gives them an indication of just how much the fans appreciate them, that the fans turn out for said testimonial aware that their ticket will individually be going mostly into that player’s pocket.
Tavernier is a very rich man thanks to Rangers.
There is no question he was massively overpaid for his contribution, but this is beside the point.
The simple fact is that no Tavernier testimonial is forthcoming.
It appears that Tavernier has not been granted that testimonial, and Rangers fans are definitely not exactly thrilled about this.
A Strange Ending
This is not the way that fans would have believed that Tavernier’s time at Rangers should have ended after 11 years.
Leaving in ignominy by the back door without a pathetic trophy presentation, not even given a walkout to give his full captain leadership as part of the final 11, and then being given no testimonial at the end of it either.
It is very surreal and very strange and not something most fans endorsed.
Even his detractors, including ourselves, believe he did deserve a bit better.