Rangers had a dismal outing in the last term as they saw themselves end up getting beaten by arch-rivals Celtic twice, both by significant margins. However, they went onto sack Graeme Murty at the end of the last term and brought in the Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard as their new manager. The 38-year-old has no prior experience in managing a senior side but was in charge of the Liverpool youth squad and will look to make it a good outing for the Gers in the next term.
Gerrard has already shown his intent to develop the side into one that can challenge the dominance of the all-conquering Hoops in the new season and has brought in some new players to beef up his squad. However, he will have to make sure that the existing crop of players at the Ibrox are dealt with care and they don’t feel left out by the inclusion of the new players.
One such player, who needs special attention from the former Liverpool star is James Tavernier. The young right-back has been one of the most influential players in the Gers’ lineup in the last season and has attracted attention from a number of clubs from Scotland as well as abroad, one of them being Swansea City.
The Welsh side had a forgettable season of their own as they had to face relegation and will ply their trade in the Championship in the next season. They sacked their manager Carlos Carvalhal and brought in Graham Potter. The new gaffer might be looking to make a few inclusions into the side and Tavernier can be a very good addition to the squad.
Known for his pace and agility, the 26-year-old defender is one of the vital cogs to maintain the balance of the side. So it looks quite unlikely that the Teddy Bears will let Tavernier leave the Ibrox in summer as a lot will depend on his ability to speed down the wings and deliver the goal threat to the opposition by setting up his teammates in the box.
Besides, Gerrard will need to hold onto the players like Tavernier, who are fan favourites, as losing them might be disastrous for his reputation as a manager and the Englishman will definitely want to refrain from any such activity in his very first venture.
However, the lure of playing in England and earn a handsome wage might be tough to evade for a number of players and Tavernier might not be a stranger to that. Besides, if the Swans get promoted to the Premier League at the end of the next season, the 26-year-old full back will have the opportunity to play in one of the best leagues in Europe and the sound of that is quite exciting for any young footballer.
