The Glasgow Rangers skipper retains the full support of the Ibrox manager in the wake of his poor display in midweek.
Glasgow Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has expressed his support for Ibrox captain James Tavernier following his struggles in the Europa League loss to Young Boys.
The right-back had a night to forget on Thursday as Rangers relinquished a half-time lead to fall to a last-gasp 2-1 defeat in Bern, splitting Europa League Group G wide open.
Tavernier lost possession deep in his own half en route to Roger Assale firing home from close range and then made a misjudged attempt to cut out a ball forward, enabling Christian Fassnacht to net a late winner at the Suisse Arena.
Amid criticism of the 27-year-old by sections of the Rangers fanbase, Gerrard made it very clear that he was fully behind his captain, describing him as the skipper “for a reason” and saying he’s been “absolutely fantastic” for him and for his Ibrox teammates.
“James is the captain of this team for a reason,” the Rangers boss told the Ibrox media team. “He is maturing, he is big enough to handle the criticism that comes his way. That’s one thing you are looking for in your captain. Football is not just about highs and praise and everyone telling you how great you are. It’s about recovering from setbacks, being able to handle the tough times as well as the good times.
“Look, we are all responsible for that result. Of course there were a couple of mistakes that have affected the result but we are all in it together. He has been absolutely fantastic for me, he has been fantastic for his team-mates and the supporters, he has provided some incredible moments and some fantastic performances. So we have to remember that as well.”
Gerrard’s comments prompted a largely positive reply amongst the Bears, some of whom took the time to respond on the club’s Twitter post:
Up next for Rangers is the Scottish Premiership meeting with Hamilton Academical at Ibrox on Sunday.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
