JAMES TAVERNIER insists Rangers have everything required to get the better of Celtic as the two clubs get set to renew their acquaintance on a regular basis.
The right-back's second-half goal on Tuesday night was enough to secure a 1-0 home win over Dumbarton and clinch the Ladbrokes Championship title for the Ibrox side, ending four years in the lower leagues of Scottish football. Not only did the win provide closure on a tumultuous few years for everyone associated with the club, but it acted as the perfect preparation for two landmark dates at Hampden Park in the coming weeks.
This Sunday, Rangers will take on Peterhead in the Petrofac Training Cup final, but, already, the focus of many supporters has overshot this date to April 17, when Celtic will provide the opposition in the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final. While the meeting between the two in the last four of the League Cup last season was a 2-0 walkover for Ronny Deila and his players, there is a feeling that this season’s Old Firm game is much harder to call given the improvement of Rangers under their manager, Mark Warburton.
It is an opinion shared by Tavernier, who is confident this Rangers team, unshackled from the pressures of expectation surrounding their league campaign, have what it takes to beat Celtic at the national stadium.
“Of course we can,” said the 24-year-old, who is also relishing the prospect of facing the Parkhead club in the Premiership next term. “We’ve got a great team and we’re full of confidence. We can beat anyone when we play well.
“I’m looking forward to playing them in front of 50,000 at Ibrox and then going to their ground and experiencing it there. Obviously, the next game against them is at Hampden with 50,000 split equally. I can’t wait for the Old Firm derbies next year, definitely.”
Tavernier has also signalled a warning to every club in the Ladbrokes Premiership ahead of next season and fully expects them to challenge for the title.
“The boys are hungry,” said the former Newcastle United and Wigan Athletic player. “We’ve got a lot of experience and a lot of young players in the team. We are going to be firing when we go on pre-season again. I know the boys can’t wait for next season when we’re back in the Premiership, where we belong.
“You saw us against Dundee (a 4-0 win in the Scottish Cup). That shows what we’re capable of when we play good football. I’m sure the manager will strengthen it next season, but the squad we have now is capable of beating anyone in the division above. A lot of teams will not be able to match us. We are full of confidence and are a ready to go for next season.”
“We have to prove ourselves in every game. We had to prove ourselves against Dumbarton. In every game, we have to prove Rangers are the best team and, next season, we’ll have a lot to prove, being back in the Premiership. I’m confident with the squad we’ve got that we will do that.”
Dave King, the chairman of Rangers, last night lauded the contribution of Warburton and his assistant David Weir in rebuilding the side after inheriting a broken team that had been beaten comprehensively in the end-of-season play-offs by Motherwell.
"We promised the fans we would secure promotion by winning the Championship," stated King. "All credit to Mark, Davie and the coaching staff. This team is completely unrecognisable from last season."
The scenes at full-time on Tuesday certainly provided a window into a dressing-room that has thrown their heart and soul into clinching the Championship title.
While the game itself against part-time opposition was a slog at times, it did not detract from the extraordinary outpouring of emotion and relief that were triggered when referee Steven McLean blew for full-time. Tavernier is a player who has revelled in the joy of promotion before – with Rotherham and Bristol City in the last two seasons – but little will have compared to what unfolded around Ibrox in the wake of his calm finish beyond goalkeeper Jamie Ewings.
“It was a great feeling to get the goal,” he said. “It was great to see all the fans staying back at the end.
“I wanted the challenge here. I’ve had two promotions before this, so this is the third in a row.
"It’s such a great feeling when you are pushing to win trophies and that’s exactly what we wanted to do - win the Championship and then go on to win more trophies.”
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