Latest news with #JamesTavernier
The Herald Scotland
7 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
So can Russell Martin and his new recruits bring success at Rangers?
And eternally optimistic fans have always been eager to see if the close season recruits who their new or newish manager has brought on board during turbulent weeks of wholesale change have the ability and mentality required to turn them into the dominant side in Scotland and a force in Europe. Rarely has the early promise which Rangers supporters have witnessed in the opening fixture ever been built upon – they have lifted the Scottish title on just one occasion since winning promotion to the top flight in 2016 – but still they flock through the turnstiles in their numbers at the beginning of every new campaign. Read more: Last night was no different. There was not a spare seat in the house to be had as James Tavernier and his team-mates launched their bid to reach the Champions League league phase with a second qualifying round meeting with Panathinaikos of Greece at home. So will Bears be growling once again about their board's poor choice of head coach and their hierarchy's stupidity for sanctioning the signings of footballers who are clearly not up to the task come October? Or are the new owners - a consortium that comprises 49ers Enterprises and American healthcare tycoon Andrew Cavenagh, who was in attendance for the first meaningful fixture of his reign as chairman – poised to deliver the success which the Glasgow giants' legions of followers have long craved? It would be wrong to read too much into this outing. It was only the second time that Russell Martin's men, who drew 2-2 with Club Brugge of Belgium at Ibrox earlier this month, had played in front of supporters. Only three new boys, Nasser Djiga, Max Aarons and Joe Rothwell, were named in the starting line-up. Rangers will need more matches to familiarise themselves with their manager's formation and gameplan in a competitive environment. It would be premature to judge them after this tough 90 minutes against decent opposition. They have only been training as a group for four weeks. Many of them for far less than that. (Image: Andrew Milligan) Will the front three of Findlay Curtis, Danilo and Kieran Dowell be seen again in the coming 10 months? It was far from the first choice forward line. Hamza Igamane and Cyriel Dessers not being fully fit was a blow for Martin. Still, it is safe to say there is, despite the vital victory, room for improvement going forward. It is not an exaggeration to state that Rangers fans were not entirely impressed with what they witnessed during much of the evening. They lived dangerously at times and will need to do better in Athens next week to progress further in the continent's elite club competition. Rangers were bright early on. Spectators were struck by how Tavernier and Aarons pushed up and inside when the hosts were in possession. Central midfielder Rothwell was direct and used the ball well. Djiga was comfortable at the back. Are they significant upgrades on the players they replaced? Only time will tell. Former Scotland centre-half Martins was as vocal and animated in his technical area as he was on the pitch in his playing days. He shouted instructions and gesticulated wildly from kick-off to the final whistle. He was certainly not slow to express his displeasure to fourth official Robertas Smitas if he felt that Lithuanian referee Donatas Rumsas had made a bad decision. But he would not have been happy at the ease with which Rui Vitoria's charges cut through his rearguard. His team would have been beaten had it not been for the outstanding saves which Jack Butland produced. His goalkeeper, who was dropped by his predecessor Barry Ferguson at the tail end of last season, denied Facundo Pelistri, Tasos Bakasetas and Filip Duricic brilliantly. Read more: The ex-MK Dons, Swansea City and Southampton manager is clearly not afraid to give youth a chance. Curtis struggled to cope with the pace and physicality of the game at times. But the 18-year-old, who was making his first European start, stuck to his task impressively and broke the deadlock in sensational fashion to more than justify his selection. He was a worthy recipient of the Man of the Match award. The Auchenhowie academy graduate will take confidence from his mature showing. (Image: Andrew Milligan) Djedi Gassama came on along with Dessers and Igamane to make his bow in the closing stages. The former Paris Saint-Germain kid, a £2.2m acquisition from Sheffield Wednesday, promptly netted a second, a carbon copy of the first, to send the majority of the 49,548-strong crowd wild. The 21-year-old winger ensured the night finished on a hugely positive note. But Martin will want to see more ruthlessness in the final third, greater cohesion in the middle of the park and better organisation at the back. Tavernier stated at the pre-match press conference that fans will not have witnessed a style of football like the one his new manager wants his side to play before. That was not exactly evident against Panathinaikos. But these remain early days and there were certainly signs that more is to come. The hope remains.
Scotsman
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
James Tavernier lifts lid on 'real big difference' Rangers fans will see under Russell Martin
Long-serving captain expects transformation in style from previous years Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... James Tavernier is confident Rangers fans will see a style of football they like under Russell Martin as yet another new era prepares to get underway at Ibrox. New owners and a new manager have whetted the appetite of the supporters although the jury remains out on new signings, at least three of whom could start against Panathinaikos in tomorrow night's Champions League second qualifying first leg tie in Glasgow. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad While Tavernier himself represents stability as he prepares to begin his eleventh season at the club, he contends there will be a new dynamism about Rangers this season under Martin as they bid to forget some wretched recent seasons. Martin's preferred way of playing, with ball domination a key component, has been well established at previous clubs including Southampton and Swansea. James Tavernier during a Rangers training session ahead of the Champions League second qualifying round first leg tie against Panathinaikos. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group) | SNS Group Hosting Greek side Panathinaikos is a testing first challenge for Rangers as they bid to reach the group stage of the Champions League. Even if they overcome Rui Vitoria's side, with the second leg scheduled for next Wednesday in Athens, Rangers must still negotiate two further hurdles. They now know they will face either Viktoria Plzen or Servette in the third qualifying round if they progress. Now 33 and having recently celebrated his tenth anniversary as a Rangers player, Tavernier stressed he is raring to go. 'I'm always excited for every season to begin because it's always a fresh slate,' he said. 'But yeah, I'm really excited. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The philosophy that the manager wants us to play with the ball and off the ball. It's going to be intense and that's been shown in the preseason that we've been doing - lots of running and games behind closed doors and the implements that he wants us to play. You'll see a real big difference in how we played over the past few years to this season.' 'I think you'll see in the way we play, with the ball and without the ball,' he added. 'I think that'll be evident when tomorrow unfolds and as the season unfolds, you'll certainly see a different style of play that I've probably not played since I've been here. 'It's obviously been a quick four weeks," he continued, with reference to the short, sharp pre-season following Martin's appointment on 5 June. "The training's been really intense. The manager's really drilled in his philosophies of how he wants to play as a team and the structure. So the boys have really taken it on board and we're really looking forward to tomorrow night.' James Tavernier during a Rangers press conference ahead of the Champions League second qualifying round first leg tie against Panathinaikos. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group) | SNS Group A raft of new signings including Nasser Djiga, Max Aarons, Joe Rothwell and Lyall Cameron could all make competitive debuts against Panathinaikos. Tavernier has assured fans that they are already well aware of what is required. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'All the boys know the first thought coming to sign for Rangers is to win games,' he said. 'And that's the demands you have as soon as you become a Rangers player. So the boys know it's a must-win game. We obviously know it's two legs, but we want to take advantage of this home leg first. We really want to put on a performance that we can be proud of and also see where we're at as a team as well.' With the temperature likely to exceed 30 degrees in Athens next week, the onus is on Rangers to secure a healthy advantage in Glasgow.
The Herald Scotland
16 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Rangers player ratings as Curtis, Gassama & Butland shine
James Tavernier 6 Hamstrung a little by adapted shape and style under the new manager. Far less involved in bursting down the right flank, instead encouraged to invert and cut inside into a central midfield position. Defended fairly well when required and set demands vocally on the pitch. John Souttar 7 A typical John Souttar performance in Europe from the Scotland centre-back. Threw himself at anything and everything in the box and made some crucial blocks when Rangers were under pressure in the first half. Booked after 28 minutes, took one for the team as Panathinaikos looked to counter. Nasser Djiga 6 Thrown in for his debut in a high-pressure situation and with clear instructions to play out from the back. Guided through by John Souttar and willing to put himself about. Had to be bailed out after being robbed of the ball on the edge of the box but rallied to regain his composure. Max Aarons 6 Schoehorned into left-back instead of Jefte, who was named on the bench. Trusted by Martin and did fairly well on his debut. Another was instructed to take on an inverted role, which clearly needs more work in the coming weeks, but carried out his duties well. Nicolas Raskin 7 A swashbuckling performance from the Belgian, who looked the most likely to drive Rangers forward when he picked up the ball. Frustrated for periods at a lack of possession, but was always amongst the first to engage with opposition players. Burst into the box on a number of occasions, but was just missing the final ball into the box. Will be key for Rangers again this season. Mohamed Diomande 6 Not one of his most impressive outings from Rangers, but far from a bad night for Diomande. A little bit lost at times in the midfield but grew into the contest and started to keep things ticking for Rangers, particularly in the second half. Played the full 90 in a tireless display in the centre of the park. Joe Rothwell 7 A solid introduction to life at Rangers for the midfielder. Nothing flashy, but did a lot of the running and some dirty work in the centre to try and take control of the play. Clearly, more to come from the Englishman but he can be pleased with his efforts in a first bow at Ibrox against tricky opposition. Kieran Dowell 7 Looks to have played himself back into the fold at Rangers after his loan at Birmingham last season. Deployed on the right but always desperate to come inside to affect the play where possible. Nearly scored himself with a looping header, but it landed on the roof of the net in the moments after the opener. Findlay Curtis 8 Inclusion in the starting XI raised more than a few eyes inside Ibrox but proved himself throughout. Bursting with determination to work in both directions from the left. Provided moment of quality to curl home, helped by a deflection, from outside the box to send Rangers ahead. Danilo 6 The Brazilian was given the nod in the sole striker role after an electric pre-season. Was unable to continue his scoring streak as he had limited clear sight of goal during his time on the pitch. Unfortunate to see one big effort was blocked and turned wide after a decent connection. Djeidi Gassma (for Curtis, 74) 7 On the park for just four minutes before making his impact. Doubled lead with a terrific goal, cutting inside from left and then reversing strike into bottom corner. Ibrox support audibly excited every time he touched the ball with Panathinaikos defenders unable to get close to him. Hamza Igamane (for Dowell, 74) 4 Close to a third as he leapt into the air at the back post but unable to get a good connection on the ball as it bounced harmlessly wide. Cyriel Dessers (for Danilo, 74) 4 Didn't have any real openings after his introduction. Still getting up to fitness. Nedim Bajrami (for Rothwell, 86) 3 Delayed introduction after repeated issues with his socks before coming on. Not majorly involved.
STV News
a day ago
- Sport
- STV News
Tavernier: We have to take advantage of Ibrox atmosphere in Euro clash
James Tavernier says Rangers will look to use the Ibrox atmosphere to their advantage when they take on Panathinaikos to get a good first leg result and avoid having to chase the game in the intense Greek heat next week. The captain, who is preparing for his tenth season at the club, is aiming for a win to take to Athens for the second leg of the Champions League qualifier. Rangers are hoping to return to the top competition for the first time since the 2022/23 campaign, and Tavernier knows they will likely need a victory in Glasgow to give them the best chance of progressing further. They have been particularly strong at Ibrox in the Europa League in recent seasons, with the passionate home support helping them over the line on many occasions. And as new head coach Russell Martin is set for his first competitive game in the Rangers dugout, the skipper wants nothing less than a strong start. Speaking to the media on Monday, Tavernier said: 'We have to take advantage of Ibrox, with our fans and aim to take a good result over to the second-leg. 'And then obviously focus on the game over there when that comes. 'We want to show everyone what we are capable of and what we are working to do. 'Our objective is to get the win at home, and we have to make sure we get the job done. You have to set a tone in every single game, from the first whistle. 'We want a positive result to show where we are at and show everyone what we are capable of, and put ourselves in a good position to get through. 'We know it's going to be a hot one over there for the second leg, so you obviously want to prioritise getting a good result in the first leg, hopefully with a clean sheet and a few goals, then we can go over there knowing they will have to chase the game.' Tavernier is excited for what is to come under Martin after being impressed by the early signs of another 'fresh start'. He said: 'You will see on Tuesday, and as the season goes on, a different style of play both on and off the ball. 'You have to win games here; that is the demand at this football club. We really want to put in a performance against Panathinaikos. 'I'm really excited with the philosophy of the manager, both on and off the ball; it is going to be intense. 'In football, you see the squad change every season. 'A lot has changed around the club. It is a fresh start for the club, and we are all really excited to get behind it.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tavernier wants Rangers to 'set the tone'
There may have been changes at Rangers this summer but one constant during the close season and indeed each of the past 10 years has been James Tavernier. The Rangers captain has retained the armband under new head coach Russell Martin and addressed the media before Tuesday's season-opening Champions League second qualifying round first leg at home to Panathinaikos. The Ibrox side and the Greek outfit are competing to face either Viktoria Plzen or Servette in the next round. Defeat would mean a Europa League third qualifying round meeting with Besiktas or Shakhtar Donetsk. "Obviously, our objective is to get the win. It's a fresh start for the club," Tavernier said. "We're already excited to get behind it. It's a new season and we obviously want to push ourselves to the very end. "[Tuesday] night's the most important game of our season so far. It's our first game. We've got to take really take real advantage of being at Ibrox with our fans and try to take a good result going over to play in the second leg. We know it's going to be a hot one over there in the second leg. "They're going to be a tough test. It's the first competitive have of our season. From the very first whistle, we need to put our stamp on the game. You have to set a tone, you have to set a tone in every single game."
