Under-fire Rangers star will leave an irreplaceable void at Ibrox when he exits club claims former teammate

Under-fire Rangers star will leave an irreplaceable void at Ibrox when he exits club claims former teammate

The current Rangers skipper has received some strong criticism from a portion of the club’s support base.
Scott Arfield believes Rangers fans will not truly understand how vital under-fire captain James Tavernier is until he leaves the club, after giving a passionate defence of his former Ibrox teammate.

The 32-year-old defender has received harsh criticism during his testimonial season, especially during Celtic’s 3-0 Old Firm triumph earlier this month. Tavernier, who was the subject of feverish transfer rumors over the summer, was singled out by enraged fans outside the stadium and dubbed a “loser” following the Light Blues’ most recent derby defeat to their arch rivals.

 

With his long-term future in Govan still uncertain, Arfield emphasized Tavernier’s unequaled statistics, notably his goals and assists contributions as a right-back, as something that will not be completely appreciated until he is no longer a member of Philippe Clement’s team.  The current Bolton Wanderers midfielder believes that the Englishman’s departure will leave an irreparable vacuum.

In an exclusive interview with Football Scotland, Arfield praised Tavernier’s accomplishments while wearing a royal blue shirt, saying: “He’s in the Hall of Fame now, and if you look at the names on that list, it’s not an easy thing to get into with the history of that club, so it speaks for itself. I don’t think we’ll see another right-back with similar numbers, not only in terms of assists and goals, but also in terms of longevity and number of games played per season.

“There is an element that when James eventually leaves, it will be one of those situations where you never knew what you had until it was gone because as a right back, no matter who comes in, they will never match the standard of James’ performances over the last ten years at the club.

He is a Rangers legend, and the Hall of Fame confirms it. Afrield also spoke on his personal relationship with Tavernier, stating, “I got to know him personally and professionally, and I couldn’t speak higher of him.”

Get more related news on http://sportviewers.com