Steven Gerrard has excused James Tavernier’s programme article as a heat of the moment incident!
Speaking out straight after a match or at an all-in media conference might result in the wrong words or message emerging but the club programme is an entirely different matter.
As club captain Tavernier has a column in the programme which would involve an interview with a club official who would then write it up before it is edited for publication.
Against Hamilton Tav explained: ‘Whenever anybody puts a bit of pressure on us in Scotland or gets in our face it seems to affect us too much.
“At the start of the season teams dropped off us and we were scoring four or five goals, but now they smell blood straight away and put us under pressure. We are not good enough domestically to react to that.”
Gerrard breezed through today’s media conference, sending out all the old favourites about rallying the players, bouncing back stronger and of course that ‘no one is hurting more than me’.
At today’s media conference Gerrard was asked about Tavernier’s comments but after initially publishing the conference in full the club edited out that section of the published You Tube video.
The Sun reported Gerrard saying: “I think with my players we’re not going to always say the right things. From time to time the players, or myself or the staff are going to get things wrong – especially in the heat of the moment.
“We’re human beings, we’re not perfect, we don’t pretend to be perfect. At the same time we’re at a club where we need protection, we need people to look out for us at times and help us.”
? Steven Gerrard’s response to being asked about recent comments made by James Tavernier in the Rangers matchday programme and Ryan Kent regarding mentality. pic.twitter.com/pUbd1LowNi
— Superscoreboard (@ClydeSSB) March 6, 2020
These comments are in the match programme tonight from Rangers Captain James Tavernier. No wonder we’re the mess we are. If the badge on the chest is too heavy you have no place at our club. pic.twitter.com/RU7l9hWsJ9
— BMC Rangers Rants (@BMCRangersRants) March 4, 2020
What I take from this quote and I might be wrong is that James Tavernier did not write those notes in the programme and someone (whomever edits the Rangers match programme) has unwittingly stitched him up. Certainly the 2nd part indicates this. pic.twitter.com/uAVPX53MT0
— Tam McManus (@The_Tman10) March 6, 2020
Video: Steven Gerrard Defends James Tavernier Over Programme Notes https://t.co/kc4oy1frnc pic.twitter.com/kIrvd58xwW
— Rangers FC News (@rangersfcnewsn1) March 6, 2020
