Andy Halliday has defended James Tavernier over his defeatist programme notes last season.
Before watching their heroes crash to a 1-0 defeat at home to Hamilton in March Ibrox fans read their captain explain why the team can’t cope when the pressure is on.
This wasn’t a lost in translation foreign interview or top spin applied by the Scottish media but the words of their captain in the club programme to explain the Scottish Cup defeat from Hearts.
Before the Betfred Cup Final in December Chris Sutton described Tav as a serial loser although to be fair the former Wigan utility man has a winner’s medal from the 2016 Petrofac Training Cup.
Covering Halliday’s appearance on Sportsound BBC Scotland reports:
The words “whenever anybody puts a bit of pressure on us or gets in our face it seems to affect us too much” prompted a negative reaction from supporters and pundits.
“I think if Tav had a time machine, it’s maybe something he would change,” said Halliday. “His comments, I don’t think they were valid, there was maybe a bit of emotion at the time.
“Fans have opinions on everyone. They might say ‘he can’t handle the expectation and the pressure at Rangers.’
“But I certainly don’t think Tav comes under that category and if he could take back those comments, I think he would.”
With the English lower division clubs back up and running Halliday remains without a club with Joey Barton’s Fleetwood Town still to show interest in the former Livingston starlet.