JAMES Tavernier has stated the Rangers players remain firmly behind their manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst in the wake of a Champions League defeat to Napoli which has increased the pressure on the Dutchman.
Tavernier and his team mates were beaten 3-0 by the Serie A leaders in the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples on Wednesday night and remain rooted to the bottom of Group A without any points.
The Ibrox club have to draw with or beat Ajax in Govan in their final match on Tuesday night to avoid a whitewash – and if they lose by two goals or more they will finish their campaign with the worst group stage record in the 30 year history of Europe’s premier club competition.
Many supporters have been deeply unhappy with the Glasgow club’s form at home and abroad in the 2022/23 campaign and would like to see a change in the dugout.
However, their captain has stressed that he and his fellow players are continuing to give their all for Van Bronckhorst, who has lost a raft of key men due to injuries this term, and must accept their share of responsibility for disappointing displays and results at home and abroad.
“We are always behind the manager,” he said. “Never once are we not. We have full belief in his tactics and whatever he puts out on match day it is down to us as a team, as players, to go out and put a performance in for him and the fans.
“There have been a few games where it has not been good enough and we have accepted that as a team. We can’t let that lapse into our game. Against Napoli, we never hid away from it. We went toe to toe with them as best we could and tried to play our football and create our chances.
“As long as we do the minimum and the basics – put the effort in and really go toe to toe with opponents I am sure the fans will take to that.”
Tavernier added: “We have to finish on a high with a win over Ajax. It is the final game at home in front of our fans so we have got to put in a really big performance for them.
“We never go into a game to lose, but if you are going to lose you have to leave everything out on the pitch and I felt we left everything out on the pitch on Wednesday night. It is those small margins which make a difference - you have to put the ball in the back of the net.”
John Lundstram was ruled out of the game against Ajax next week when he picked up a booking against Napoli on Wednesday night and Tavernier acknowledged the English midfielder will be a huge loss to his side.
However, the defender feels that every player who has been drafted into the Rangers team due to suspensions and injuries has risen to the challenge and is confident they have the strength in depth they need to cope without Lundstram.
“We have got a squad,” he said. “You can see the boss rotating and people coming in. That is what they are there for. Everyone tries to push each other. Everyone who is asked to start tries to put in a performance for the team and give a good account of themselves.
“James put in a great performance for us in centre mid the other night – that is what it takes. Anyone who is wanting to come into the team has to look at that performance that James put in and carry it out.”
