When the time comes for James Tavernier and Connor Goldson to depart from the Rangers, they will both have one “stinging regret.”
In other words, they’ll wish they had more championships from their time at Ibrox.
Barry Ferguson says it’s not shocking to learn that Steven Gerrard wants to sign both players this summer to play for Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia.
The legend of Liverpool appointed Tavernier as captain and made Goldson one of his first acquisitions at Ibrox in 2018.
According to reports originating from the Middle East, Gerrard has suggested the two Gers players to his Ettifaq recruitment chiefs, and they have approved bids to be placed this summer.
There would be fees because both players’ current contracts have two years left on them.
Ferguson thinks both of them will regret not winning more at Rangers, whether they leave now or in the future.
“The rumors have been circling around for a few weeks so I can’t say I was surprised the other day when the Saudis confirmed James Tavernier is back on their Pro League shopping list,” he wrote in his Daily Record column.
“And while I wouldn’t pretend to be surprised if the former Rangers manager does end up coming calling for both of them in the summer, I had a funny feeling Steven Gerrard might also be keeping an eye on Connor Goldson.”
He gave Tavernier the armband for a reason, and there’s a reason he initially brought Goldson to Scotland.
“They are outstanding professionals who have contributed greatly to the club, and if this is going to be the last chapter in their lives, then I wish them both the very best as they depart. Yes, I am aware that they occasionally receive criticism, but you can always count on me to never say anything negative about them.
“Over the years, Tav and Goldson have been excellent additions, and their combined stats show how important they have been to several different coaches. Though, in the back of their minds, they would both acknowledge that their single bitter regret from their time together in Glasgow is that, since winning is how Rangers evaluate players, they will be disappointed that they haven’t won more trophies in all those years.
Because football is an unpredictable sport, let’s avoid assuming anything about what might or might not occur when the transfer window opens. However, I would argue that they owe it to themselves to make the most of their final moments if there’s a chance they won’t be around for long.
“They still have four weeks left to play for the Rangers, so they have time to put two more pieces of silverware in the cabinet before they depart. And if that’s how things work out in the next month, I can’t think of a better way for them to go.
“At this point in their careers, I wouldn’t hold it against either of them if they were tempted to make a little money in the Middle East. Now that they are both in their 30s, they have had a brief career as football players.
“If an opportunity comes up to make your family financially secure for the rest of their lives, it can be hard to turn down.”
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