Clement humiliates Rangers captain James Tavernier | OneFootball

James Tavernier was having yet another of his nightmare European matches v Lyon on Thursday night, when Philippe Clement did the previously-unthinkable – he removed Rangers’ captain tactically to stop Rangers conceding any more goals.

The manager, who has resolutely stuck by the right back through thick and thin, finally had enough of Tavernier’s diabolical season (4 assists and goals in 12) and removed him on football grounds at 63 minutes, handing the captaincy over to Jack Butland, himself hardly having a shining night either.

We’re pretty sure the manager will make the usual nonsense excuses for this (‘he had a knock’ is a favourite), but the reality is he actually protected Tavernier from further humiliation by removing the boy, albeit there were also shades of Todd Cantwell being taken off v Aris, which was the beginning of the end of the Englishman’s time at Ibrox.

Either way on this one Clement can’t actually win:

He either removed the boy tactically, to protect him from being slaughtered and humiliated any more, or he humiliated him BY removing him!

But regardless, it was the first time, certainly under Clement, that Tavernier has been substituted out purely on football grounds, because Fofana was tearing him to pieces on the left.

Once Kasanwirjo was on, Rangers stopped leaking goals, so it did work from that point of view, but it was pretty much damage limitation at that point.

The reality is once again a Rangers manager has selected Tavernier with impunity, and once again at this level the captain has been deeply exposed.

It’s safe to say the former Wigan man hasn’t really shone in recent seasons, despite the goals tally, and this is the first acknowledgement from his current manager that he’s falling short.

Will Tavernier play again?

Is the Pope catholic?