Rangers address James Tavernier testimonial, transfer plans and Emmanuel Fernandez speculation

It was announced earlier this week that right-back Tavernier, 34, will leave Rangers at the end of the season when his contract expires. It will end the Englishman’s 11-year association with the club, having made well over 500 appearances and scoring more than 100 goals.

With Rangers one point behind leaders Hearts in the league with five games remaining. Tavernier’s last act at Ibrox could be to lift the Premiership title. He has done so once before in the 2020/21 campaign, which took place behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rohl labelled Tavernier a Rangers “legend” and said the best goodbye would be to win the league. He said that the news could act as the “last percentage” in their quest to become champions.

“He is a legend of the club and I think, just what I can say, made an amazing career here,” said Rohl on Tavernier. “He saw all the good moments, he saw also some not so good moments and hopefully at the end of the season he can see again a beautiful moment.

“He made the final decision, we were very clear on our process. We said if the time is right we will speak about him. He gave me the information before it comes out, it was very fair from him. He spoke to the group and I think the most important thing is now we have 21 days to go, five games, focus on these five games and then he will have an incredible goodbye, what he deserved. This is all that is important for me, for us, for the group. Focus on what happens now.

“I think nobody needs extra motivation for the final five games, but if someone needs maybe this last percentage, then I think it makes really sense. Everyone takes the responsibility as well, to give him the best goodbye.”

The timing of Tavernier’s announcement, just a couple of days after a press conference in which he said his future had not been decided, caught many off-guard. Rohl does not see the way it was broken, via the player’s social media account, nor when it came as a major issue.

“Ah, look, I think for such a statement maybe there's never a good timing,” smiled Rohl. “If you wait too long, and this is after the season maybe, then you miss the goodbye. If he makes not a decision, then you will ask him every week what happens next. I think there's never a good thing.

“The best thing is, and this is what I like, we have clarity now, and from this point we move forward. I think we knew this, what happens now, and now we are really focused. I think it starts with Tav, and Tav is also clear. He pushed the group really well in the last couple of weeks, it was not always easy for him to be in, to be out. But he showed, even in these moments, which kind of character he is, which kind of good leader he is for the group, and that is the most important thing. Now we have one goal, one dream, and one way in which direction we want to go.”

Who could be Rangers’ new captain?

Asked if he would like to see Tavernier get a Rangers testimonial, Rohl commented: “I think we will find hopefully a great way. For big players you should have also a big goodbye and the biggest goodbye would be you go with a title.”

Rangers will now start the process of looking for a new captain. “The good thing is I have not to think about this now,” said Rohl. “I think this is a normal process in the pre-season. Who steps up? I think we have a leadership group still together at the moment. And some players will maybe then make the next step to be a leader. But this is not a topic in the next five games. The topic is that we stick together, that we want to achieve. And Tav leads us in the final five games with his experience. And this is the most important thing.”

Rangers will also need to find another right-back. They have been linked with AZ Alkmaar’s Denso Kasius as well as a move for their former player Nathan Patterson, who is at Everton. Rohl says he has been in discussions over recruitment with owner Andrew Cavenagh and fellow directors during last week’s training camp in Spain.

“I look at a lot of videos at the moment, not just games, also players,” explained Rohl. “We have a great conversation. I think it was really great spirit in this camp. We had a daily meeting every day with the board. I think we have a good group together at the minute. We are very clear what we want.

“It's good to start and to prepare a lot of things now. It will be a long summer, especially with the World Cup. You never know what happens. But it helps that we have a clear direction in which way we want to go.

Rangers may also have to field bids for their own players this summer, with defender Emmanuel Fernandez - the only Ibrox man to be named in the PFA team of the year - said to be attracting interest.

“I think I guess Manny knows as well what he has here,” said Rohl. “I think he developed very quick, very soon. We should not forget one year ago he played in League One. Now he plays for a big club. If everything goes well, what we want, maybe he can play next year as well in the highest competition. I think we have a lot of arguments. We have a good training ground, fantastic stadium, nice city, good fans, good owner. And a group together. And I think it helps as well for players to develop and play at the highest level football.”

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