The unseen James Tavernier leadership moment that sparked Rangers

As James Sands went down clutching his leg after 20 minutes of Rangers vs Hearts, the lull in play offered a key opportunity for the captain James Tavernier.

With his team struggling to create against Hearts' low block, the full-back took the time to approach Ryan Kent and have a few words in the ear. Covering his mouth, and with an arm around the winger, he made his point before slapping him on the back and jogging over to repeat the trick with Malik Tillman.

The team's two creative bright sparks were clearly being roused by Tavernier who will be more aware than anyone of the quality possessed by these immense natural talents. That one went on to create the winning goal and the other slammed the ball into the net only served to underline exactly why the duo were singled out. The 31-year-old may not be a traditional leader in the style of John Greig or Richard Gough, but he knows what life at Rangers is all about since signing over seven years ago - and that's winning.

For this current squad to achieve the consistency required to match a Celtic side who have found a groove in the weekly domestic grind, those in the team with the capability to find creative solutions are worth their weight in gold.

It's a sentiment shared by Giovanni van Bronckhorst who has spoken previously about the importance of confidence to Kent's game.

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He said on Wednesday night: "It should give Ryan confidence. I talk a lot with him, he has so much quality, and in the second half, he was much more of a threat. We all know what he’s capable of. I said to him the quicker you go to goal the better for the team. It’s pleasing because he kept working hard and gave the energy to try and create chances"

There's a feeling amongst the Rangers' support that Kent isn't pulling with the full weight of his talent but that's not reflected in the data where he remains one of the top performers in the league over several key attacking metrics.

A failure to renew a contract is always a trigger point for supporters and the additional scrutiny that comes with a missing signature is perhaps salient to an uncharitable assessment of a season that has already yielded six goal contributions in 12 league games. 

Tillman is another who has developed a difficult relationship with some in the crowd. The American has a laid-back style and isn't natural when it comes to the dirty side of the game he's been exposed to here in Scotland. The culture at Rangers demands hard work, diligence and concentration first and foremost, areas Tillman has sometimes looked slightly bewildered by.

It is important to remember that his total exposure to men's football amounted to four appearances for Bayern Munich prior to agreeing his summer loan move. He is just 20-years-old and anyone who retains sight should be able to see his obvious talent. Van Bronckhorst for one has no doubts about what his No.10 can offer in the months ahead.

He told me last night: "He is a big talent. That’s why we have him here. With young players, the only thing their talent is always up and down that’s normal because of his age. I think he’s doing well. He heard the news that he is not in the World Cup squad and for a young player it is a hard moment to take. Mentally you have to be very strong and I thought Malik’s performance was very, very good and, of course, he was the matchwinner."

Ibrox has long been a tough school for youngsters with a creative bent. An example from the early noughties would be Charlie Adam who went on to sign for Liverpool and carved out a superb career in the top flight of English football. The midfielder had a glorious left foot but was often the target of frustration from the expectant crowd who had watched Paul Gascoigne and Brian Laudrup grace the turf less than a decade before. This was also a topic broached by Borna Barisic after the game last night.

He said: "There are a lot of young players not only in the first 11 but even on the bench you can see that. When young players come to such a big club like Rangers it’s not easy for them to play, especially to play consistently and especially to play when things are not the best. If things are going very well and you come in and play it’s easier but now they need to take some responsibility. Of course, for them, it’s not easy. Everyone doesn’t understand that. I don’t use this as an excuse but it’s not easy for them so we are trying to help them."

Barisic, now an experienced international who's heading for a World Cup was seen like Tavernier having a quiet word in Tillman's ear. The Rangers players know what they have on their hands with their most delicate technical talents. That's hardly a surprise since they have a front-row seat every day in training. And while Kent is no youngster at 25, everyone needs an arm around the shoulder every once in a while.

If Rangers are to emerge from the ashes of five points dropped to St Johnstone and Livingston, the manager and senior players seem to know who has the quality to pull them back from the brink. It will require leadership, of course, but as Tavernier proved on Wednesday night at Ibrox, the heart-on-the-sleeve, remonstrative traditions of captains gone by don't have to be the way to make those around you tick.

This piece is an extract from today’s Rangers Insider newsletter, which is emailed out at 4pm every weekday with a round-up of the day's top stories and exclusive analysis from the Rangers Review team.

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