Rangers fans woke up to fresh uncertainty today after the club confirmed that Steven Smith — joined by Brian Gilmour, Rhys Owen and Sal Bibbo — will lead the first-team for Saturday’s Scottish Premiership visit to Dundee United. The announcement comes amid an urgent recruitment drive for a permanent manager, with Kevin Muscat widely reported as the current front-runner — but no long-term deal yet in place.
Some social feeds are already buzzing with the claim that captain James Tavernier “made his feelings clear” when he heard the news. But when you look for a verified, on-the-record comment from Tavernier about this specific appointment, there isn’t one in the major outlets or the club’s official channels at the time of writing. What we do have is: (a) the club’s confirmation that Smith will take charge of Saturday’s match, and (b) the broader context of a club in transition.
Below I unpack what this interim coaching decision actually means, why fans are upset, what we do know about Tavernier’s likely stance based on his role and past behaviour, and why the next few days are crucial for Rangers’ season.
1) The immediate facts: Smith in charge this weekend
Rangers’ official social channels and a number of match-preview outlets have stated that youth-and-development coach Steven Smith will lead the team for the weekend fixture, supported by Brian Gilmour, Sal Bibbo and Rhys Owen. This is a caretaker arrangement while the board continues manager recruitment talks. The decision appears pragmatic: keep the club functioning, avoid panic, and buy a little time on the managerial search.
That temporary step, though sensible on paper, still leaves a lot of stakeholders — fans, players, season-ticket holders and commercial partners — uneasy, especially given the club’s recent turbulence and the high expectations that come with the Rangers badge.
2) Why some fans are unhappy — and why Tavernier would be expected to feel the pressure
There are three overlapping reasons supporters are reacting strongly:
- Perception of instability. Rangers have been through a rapid turnover of managers and high scrutiny over recruitment. An interim team led by academy staff underlines the fact that the board has not yet landed the candidate many fans wanted to see. That breeds frustration.
- The “big name” expectation. After the publicised interest in higher-profile candidates (and the media speculation around figures such as Kevin Muscat), supporters expect the club to move decisively. A short-term interim keeps the story alive and fans fear it signals delays.
- Tavernier’s role as captain and symbolic figure. James Tavernier isn’t just a player; he’s the club captain, leading scorer from defence and one of the most visible faces of the club. When the skipper is seen as “misaligned” with board decisions, or when fans perceive he isn’t publicly backing the club’s direction, that can amplify outrage. Tavernier’s standing — as someone who has delivered records and longevity for Rangers — makes anything he says (or is rumoured to have said) newsworthy.
So even absent a direct quote from Tavernier on this specific Smith appointment, it’s understandable why talk of his “feelings” spreads fast on social media: he’s the natural barometer for supporters’ emotions.
3) Has Tavernier actually spoken about this? The record so far
As of this article’s publication there is no verifiable, sourced quote from James Tavernier explicitly reacting to the specific announcement that Steven Smith will lead the side on Saturday. Tavernier is a frequent interviewee for RangersTV and has publicly addressed squad morale and match results on many occasions, but reporters and the club have not published a contemporaneous Tavernier statement on this caretaker decision. In short: the line “Tavernier has made his feelings clear” has circulated in fan channels, but the major media outlets do not yet have an on-the-record quote to confirm it.
That matters. In football, attribution and verified sourcing are everything: fans can speculate, but journalists need quotes. If Tavernier does make an on-record comment, it will likely appear on Rangers’ official channels or in mainstream outlets very quickly — and that will be when we can report his exact words.
4) If he
has
“made his feelings clear”, what would that likely mean?
Given Tavernier’s leadership style and previous public statements, a few plausible themes would fit a captain’s reaction:
- Support for the squad: Captains often publicly back interim staff to keep dressing-room unity. He might stress that the players “are focused” and will give everything regardless of who’s in the dugout. This would be a calming, professional line — consistent with Tavernier’s role.
- Frustration about broader instability: Privately, Tavernier may be frustrated by the uncertainty. Routinely captains shoulder responsibility for results and can be blunt about the club needing clarity — but they are also careful about public criticism. Expect a balance: private frustration, public unity.
- A call for patience — or an urgent plea for decisive action: Tavernier could either urge fans to back the interim set-up while the board works, or he could subtly signal impatience if the squad feel the recruitment process is harmful to performance. Both are plausible.
All of the above are hypothetical — until Tavernier speaks on record, we should treat them as informed possibilities rather than facts.
5) The bigger picture: managerial recruitment and the next 72 hours
The club’s priority remains appointing a permanent manager. Media coverage today suggests Kevin Muscat is the preferred target, but his release from Shanghai Port and the complexity of negotiations mean nothing is certain yet. The interim appointment of Steven Smith buys time, but it also means the club needs to move quickly to avoid a run of poor results and to reassure supporters.
From a footballing perspective, Saturday’s match against Dundee United is important on two fronts: immediate league points, and maintaining player confidence while the managerial question hangs over the team. A positive result would buy the board time; a poor one could intensify supporter anger and raise questions about leadership at all levels.
6) What supporters should watch for next
- An on-the-record Tavernier comment. If the captain actually “made his feelings clear,” that quote will be posted on the club’s channels or in press coverage. That will settle whether his reaction was private grumbling or a public statement.
- Board communication. Clear timelines or reassurance from the board about the recruitment process will go a long way to calm fans. Silence or mixed messages will fuel more unrest.
- The team’s performance vs Dundee United. A functional, well-prepared match under Smith would reduce the perception of chaos; a disjointed display would intensify calls for urgent action.
Conclusion — what this moment says about Rangers
Football clubs are as much about narratives as they are about tactics. An interim coach is a practical fix; but for a club with Rangers’ stature the optics matter hugely. James Tavernier is the club’s emotional centrepiece on the pitch: rumours about his reaction spread fast because he symbolises the link between squad and supporters. At the moment, however, there is no verified public quote from Tavernier about Steven Smith’s appointment — only fan chatter and social-media headlines.
If you’re a Rangers supporter, this is a moment to watch closely: keep an eye on the club’s official channels for Tavernier’s words, on reputable outlets for recruitment updates, and on Saturday’s performance for a practical readout of how the squad is handling the transition. Until there’s an on-the-record statement, treat “Tavernier has made his feelings clear” as an unverified claim — powerful in the echo chambers of fans, but not yet journalism.
