- James Tavernier has given his version of events after he wasn’t part of the Rangers squad to play Hibs on Tuesday
- The club captain described the episode as “the most difficult and emotional of my career”
- Tavernier is set to leave the club bt what happens ahead of the weekend remains to be seen
James Tavernier has issued a personal statement to provide his version of events after the debacle that unfolded on Tuesday evening.
The club captain made his feelings toward the manager very clear, in what is obviously an ongoing dispute.
Danny Rohl responded in the post-match press conference, following the 2-1 loss to Hibs, with the high-profile incident overshadowing the game and casting more dark clouds over Ibrox.
What a mess.
James Tavernier statement in full
Here is the statement. You can make up your own mind.
“Rangers will be in my heart for the rest of my life, said Tav in opening.
“I want every supporter to know how much this club means to me. It is important to me that Rangers fans know that throughout my career, I have given everything I have for our beloved club.
“The last 24 hours have been the most difficult and emotional of my career for both myself and my family.
“I am sure you will all understand that I cannot allow any confusion around my departure or the events surrounding last night’s game.
“I picked up a knock on my ankle after the Hearts game. Following discussions with the medical staff, we agreed that an injection was the only option, which was initially scheduled for Thursday.
“After Sunday’s game, and with emotions running high, I made the decision to bring the injection forward to Tuesday. That decision would have ruled me out of both Wednesday’s and Saturday’s matches.
“After speaking throughout Monday with my family and the medical department, I came to the decision to delay the injection until Thursday so I could play one final game at Ibrox on Wednesday night.
“I personally informed the manager of this decision and explained how important it was to me and my family that I had the opportunity to say goodbye properly to the Ibrox faithful. I said I wanted to lead the lads out at Ibrox one last time and have my children walk out with me as mascots. I was told this was the right decision and that I deserved a proper send off.
“The manager agreed and said he wanted me to have a great send-off. He knew exactly how important that moment was to me and my family.
“Tuesday then went ahead as a normal training day and nothing was said. I arrived home to my son telling me how excited he was to walk out at Ibrox with his dad one last time and be a ball boy for the game.
“What hurts deeply as a father is that my son had also sacrificed going away with the Rangers Academy to his first overseas tournament in Holland because being at Ibrox for my final home game meant that much to him. Even though my wife and I encouraged him to go and enjoy that experience with his teammates, all he wanted was to be beside his dad for one last walk out at Ibrox.
“After messaging the manager on Tuesday to ask whether I would be starting the game, and explaining that my children were asking if they would still be walking out as mascots, I was then informed that I would be starting the match as a substitute. In that moment, my emotions understandably took over.
“Many people may feel I could have handled the situation better, and I accept that, but after dedicating over a decade of my life to this club, with my family beside me throughout it all, I felt deeply hurt and let down.
“What disappointed me most was the version of events that was later presented publicly, as it did not reflect the conversations that had taken place privately beforehand.
“I firmly believe the situation could and should have been handled much better from all sides. A lack of communication allowed matters to escalate unnecessarily in the build-up to such an emotional occasion for myself and my family.
“Anyone who saw my reaction on the pitch last night will understand how emotional I was feeling, not only about leaving Rangers, but about everything that had happened in the lead-up to the game.
“Lastly, I want to make clear that no individual is ever bigger than this great football club. Rangers must always come first. I hope the fans continue to stand united behind the team and the club moving forward. Thank you for everything.”
Readrangers.com analysis – Graeme Hanna
Tavernier has acknowledged that the issue has been handled badly on both sides and that is clear.
Yes, he should have led the team out one last time at Ibrox, with everything that it represented, but how can it not have been sorted out before Tuesday morning?
The emotional reaction to the news that Rohl had decided not to start Tavernier points to the ongoing issue between player and club.
It was only a few weeks ago that he decided to announce his exit on his terms – with the club left to react from the blindside.
The whole truth is somewhere in between the two versions of events that we have heard up to now.
As much as Tav deserved better on Tuesday night, Rangers Football Club is the biggest loser in all of this.
It’s a debacle that should not have happened and could have been avoided.
