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Former Rangers manager Mark Warburton defends James Tavernier against disproportionate criticism from fans, highlighting his impressive stats and contributions. With Tavernier's contract ending in May 2026, the club faces a pivotal decision regarding his future.
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Former Rangers Manager Terms 34-Year-Oldās Criticism Disproportionate: Can They Replace Him?
Rangers skipper James Tavernier has split opinion for over a decade, but former manager Mark Warburton reckons the Ibrox faithful wonāt actually appreciate what they have until heās gone, and the stats tell the same story. Speaking to Rangers Review, Warburton was surprisingly blunt about the 34-year-old right-back. With Tavernierās contract set to wrap up in May 2026, the club have reached a massive fork in the road.
Warburton hit the nail on the head regarding the fansā love-hate relationship with the captain. Supporters often call him to rave about a Tavernier goal, only to immediately backpedal with a but that never seems to go away. Looking at the facts, Tavernier has racked up over 500 appearances across eleven seasons, scored more than 100 goals from defence, and picked up every domestic trophy available while leading the side to a European final.
On top of that, he became the highest-scoring defender in British football history in March 2024 and, as of January 2026, sits fifth on the all-time global list. Even with those credentials, he still catches heat every time a cross goes astray or a defensive slip leads to a goal. Itās easy to see why Warburton finds that narrative frustrating.
āI get calls from Rangers fans who say: āHeās got a good goal⦠but, and he hit a great cross in⦠but.ā When Tavās not there, youāll be the first ones to be saying: āIf only we had Tavernier back.ā When he hits a 25-yard free kick, or he hits a great delivery, coming in for someone to attack and score, or even change the momentum of a game.
āHe can hit one of those dangerous balls, and it might not get the end product of the goal, but the crowd are suddenly lifted, and Tavās got that in boatloads. He has to be thick-skinned, but heās genuinely a top-class character. I canāt speak highly enough of him. Heās been outstanding for Rangers. Anyone who criticises him should look themselves in the mirror and say: āLook what heās done for Rangersā.ā
Mark Warburton described the criticism of James Tavernier as disproportionate and emphasized that fans may not appreciate his contributions until he is gone.
James Tavernier has made over 500 appearances for Rangers across eleven seasons.
James Tavernier's contract is set to expire in May 2026.
James Tavernier has scored over 100 goals from defense and has won every domestic trophy available while leading the team to a European final.
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This seasonās data proves the criticism is often one-sided. So far in the 2025-26 Premiership campaign, Tavernier has kept 11 clean sheets in 28 games, conceded just 16 goals, and is putting up 2.45 tackles and nearly a full interception every 90 minutes.
Heās also chipping in with 3.17 clearances per match. Going forward, he has already banked 7 goals and 4 assists, earning a FotMob rating of 7.57. His expected assists (xA) rank him higher than 97 per cent of the rest of the league. These simply arenāt the stats of someone who is checked out.
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND ā MARCH 21: James Tavernier of Rangers celebrates after he scores his teamās fourth goal during the William Hill Premiership match between Rangers and Aberdeen at Ibrox Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Rangers are staring down a really tough question; itās not just about giving Tavernier the respect heās earned, but whether they can actually replace him. Finding someone who offers that much output without spending way more than his ā¬1.3m market value is a tall order.
The real problem is structural: Rangers havenāt developed another right-back who can replicate that goal threat from deep, and that hole is going to look massive in 2026-27. The fans calling Warburton with their buts might want to start thinking about what life without him really looks like.