Despite his incredible consistency in terms of availability, there have been many times when Rangers fans have felt it would have been better for James Tavernier to take a break from the Rangers first team.
The problem for much of his time at Ibrox is that there hasn’t really been anyone waiting in the wings who could be relied upon. Nathan Patterson was a more than able deputy and the problem with the Scotland full back soon became that he was simply too good only to offer back-up.
Patterson hadn’t long been in the Rangers first team before a huge bid came from Everton that the Ibrox club couldn’t turn down. Mateusz Zukowski was recruited from Poland but managed just one top team appearance - against Annan Athletic in the Scottish Cup - before returning to his homeland in a short-lived career in Glasgow.
Adam Devine is the latest to step up and looks to be a good prospect, having actually showed his versatility by filling the left back role with Borna Barisic having still to return after the World Cup and Ridvan Yilmaz out injured.
It’s been suggested that Tavernier wasn’t feeling 100 per cent on Tuesday but was one of the players who made a solo trip to Pittodrie to avoid the risk of spreading anything and battled on to help the team. It’s been familiar story with the 31-year-old skipper who supporters felt was playing through a niggling injury in the latter part of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s time in charge.
So if a right back is on Michael Beale’s agenda to offer support - and a challenge - to Tavernier then could the Ibrox boss revisit a transfer target from earlier this season? While at QPR, the Englishman was keen to land a player familiar with Scottish football - former St Johnstone loan man Danny McNamara.
In the summer of 2020 McNamara move to McDiarmid Park from Millwall on a season-long loan only to be recalled midway through the campaign and he forced his way into the Lions first team where he has impressed. He played twice against Rangers during his time in Perth, losing 3-0 on both occasions as the Light Blues stormed to the title with Beale assisting Steven Gerrard.
But Beale is a big fan and wanted to take the 23-year-old to Loftus Road in the summer but failed in his bid. He didn’t hid his admiration for the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international, saying: “He’s a very, very good full-back. Everyone knows that and he’s in the last year of his deal so there will be interest from other clubs.”
Gary Rowett left McNamara out of his side at one point due to intense speculation over his future and, five months on, he hasn’t signed an extension at the New Den meaning he will be available to sign a pre-contract next month.
Beale has said he is keen to assess the squad he inherited from Giovanni van Bronckhorst but McNamara certainly ticks a lot of boxes. The Rangers boss is clearly an admirer, right back is a position where they have lacked depth - albeit Devine is now emerging - and there would be no transfer fee involved if they were looking to convince him to return north of the border.
READ NEXT
