IN his ability and his physicality, James Tavernier has all the traits of a full-back for the modern game. Kenny Miller knows he also has the mentality to be at Rangers.
When Tavernier arrived at Ibrox in Mark Warburton’s first summer in charge, Miller questioned why his old friend Gary Caldwell would let him leave Wigan Athletic. He quickly became glad that he did, though.
The medals won during that campaign – the Petrofac Cup and Championship title – remain the only ones that Tavernier has collected in Light Blue. But the Ibrox captain knows as much as anyone now what it would mean to lift the silverware under Steven Gerrard’s guidance this season.
READ MORE: Steven Gerrard starts six new players as Rangers brush Oxford United aside
“We use this phrase, modern day full-back,” Tavernier’s former team-mate Miller said. “But it's a fact that the big clubs now need that attacking outlet.
“I could see right away at Rangers that we had a player. You could see the qualities he had.
“But he's got better and I understand why teams are now looking at him.
“Physically, he's an animal. His body is in great shape, he's fast, strong, aggressive and he can dribble.
“When we won the Championship with Rangers, a large part of it was that double threat of Tav on one side and Lee Wallace on the other.
“He got a lot of goals that season and quickly proved why Warbs was so keen to sign him.
“Aside from all the physical attributes, what I look for in a Rangers player is the character.
“Because a lot of good players have come from England but couldn't handle playing the Old Firm.
“That's something he's grown into. He's really embraced what it means to play for that club.
“Quickly, he realised how big it was and what it meant to fans in the city.
“And he's ended up getting the armband under Stevie. He'll take that as the honour and privilege that it is.”
READ MORE: How all six of the new Rangers recruits fared on their Ibrox debuts against Oxford
The decision that boss Gerrard made to give Tavernier the captaincy last summer was somewhat forced upon him given the disciplinary situation that surrounded Lee Wallace and the left-back’s lack of match action after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
It was no surprise that the Liverpool legend turned to Tavernier to lead his team during his first term in the dugout. It is also no shock to see how admirably those duties have been performed, both on and off the park.
Miller said: “Tav's always been a very respectful guy. When I left the club, he sent me some nice messages that I've kept to this day.
“And when Waldo left the club recently, everyone saw his social media post. That speaks volumes for Tav as a boy.
“He means every single word he says because I know the regard in which he held Lee Wallace.
“He looked up to him and Waldo helped him when he arrived at Rangers. He'd be the first to speak to new players and help them.
“It was tough for Tav when he got the captaincy off Lee, considering Waldo was still there.
“But he did it with dignity and I guarantee that he still looked to Lee as his captain.
“Waldo would have helped him through certain periods and what the role entailed.
“Tav has really grown into it now, he understands the importance of being Rangers captain, and his performances have got better with the armband.
READ MORE: Matthew Lindsay: Celtic fans should cheer on Rangers in Europe - and vice versa
“Clubs are now looking at him because he has all the hallmarks of a top full-back.”
The form that Tavernier showed last term marked him out as one of the most impressive performers in the Premiership and he was unfortunate to be overlooked for the shortlists for the various personal accolades come the end of the season.
The 27-year-old has, unsurprisingly, come to the attention of clubs south of the border and Rangers could face a fight to retain the services of one of their key men. It is a battle Miller hopes they are successful in.
He said: “That's why teams down there are looking at Tav now, to see whether a move down there could make him even better. They'll wonder if they can get even more from him.
“Tav's always had a voice and that's what I liked about him right away. At times I had to tell him to shut up.
“But I could tell her cared and he was never one to shy away from a situation. That shows his character and it shows he's got balls which you need to play for the Old Firm.
“He's huge for Rangers and they won't want to lose him. I don't think they'll let him go on the cheap.
READ MORE: Neil Cameron: Would Celtic fans forgo European adventures for ten in a row? I say yes they would
“They got him for £200,000 and could end up getting £10 million for him so he's been a really good investment.
“Everyone has a price, that goes for the likes of Tav or Morelos. Any money they bring in could be invested again in the team.
“Tav will have a price but the manager, his team-mates and the fans would be very disappointed to lose him.
“I don't think you get another Tav for £200,000 in this day and age.
“He's grown into the club and he really cherishes it now. Even for him, it would take something special for him to leave.”
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel