It’s time for Rangers to bid farewell to Tav and Goldson | OneFootball

Ok, we’re finally here, the precipice of the transfer window opening and a massive question simply has to be:

Is this finally the end at Rangers for James Tavernier and Connor Goldson?

We had been a little more generous towards the ‘captain’ over the first half of the season when we defended his performance and effectiveness, but in the second he’s been absolutely dire at the back and responsible for a lot of leaked goals.

There is also that inescapable feeling no matter what that Rangers just fundamentally need to move on from the cult of Tavernier, from his captaincy, and that it’s time for a change in his position, and a new wearer of the armband.

Is he a bad player? No, not horrible, but he’s not and never has been the Rangers Class of the Gary Stevens, Allan Huttons and other alumni of the recent past at RB. He’s not even as good as the guy who couldn’t displace him in Nathan Patterson. Sandy Jardine? Don’t make us laugh!

And then there’s the similar cult of Goldson.

Ok, he was never anywhere near as revered as Tavernier, but he still did have a lot of support and backing, fans who, in attempts to be sycophantic, would describe him as ‘by far our best defender’. Simply never true, and that’s been exposed this season. Clement actually dropped him then some ‘injury’ story popped up and he’s out for the season.

It would be safe to say few fans now would be sorry to see Goldson go.

And that is the point isn’t it?

Tav and Goldson, since 2015 and 2018 respectively, have punctuated this below-par Rangers era, the meek post-2012 admin Rangers era which still hasn’t gotten close to Rangers Class, because players like these two persistently kept their places in it.

And it’s about time Rangers signed real quality in those slots and gave fans something to believe in.

Look at the difference Allan McGregor made to Rangers’ goal when he replaced the perennially-average Wes Foderingham, who also attracted a bit of cult fandom in the way Tav and Goldson have.

These guys, Championship fodder and no more, have proven themselves completely mediocre the majority of the time, and not up to the McGregors, Weirs and Huttons of the past. Guys who all competed with distinction in the Champions League and England’s Premier League.

Could you really see Tav or Goldson shining at that level? And yes, we’re aware Wes did play for Sheffield, but a relegated Sheffield who shipped 76 goals past him in 29 in the PL really isn’t a lot to boast about.

The point is we need to move on from this stuff, from Championship midtable fodder.

If we’re going to get anyone from there, it has to be a gem of a recruitment, in the way ‘that lot’ scouted League 1’s Matt O’Riley and now he’s a £25M asset and the best player in the league, likely to move onto the Continent and a genuinely big league.

Quality can be found there, but at no point have Tav or Goldson come close to being £10M players, never mind well over double that, and yet we stick/stuck with the pair of them for about 6+ years.

It’s really no wonder we have so few trophies when a Wigan and Brighton reject have been our defence for 8+ years.

We really hope this is the summer guys like these leave our club for good and we start getting in players who honour the shirt’s legacy.

That’s on Philippe Clement.

If Tav and Goldson are still in our defence next season, we honestly give up.