Tavernier: Rangers players 'ashamed' after worst start of his Ibrox career

Rangers captain James Tavernier said players were "ashamed" after a 2-0 home defeat to Hearts left the club 10th in the Scottish Premiership and enduring the worst start to a season he has experienced at Ibrox.

The 33-year-old, who has been at Rangers for more than a decade, described the performance as unacceptable and said the squad must "stick together" and begin producing consistent results. The loss was Rangers' fifth league match without a win and follows an embarrassing exit from Champions League qualifying at the hands of Club Brugge earlier in the campaign.

"For all the years I've been here, I've never had a start to the season like this, so it's not good enough as a team, as players. We have to do much better than this," Tavernier said after the match. He highlighted problems in the final third and on transitions, saying the side were "not creating enough chances in the final third, and on the transition, we're conceding too many chances."

Tavernier said the dressing room was angry and embarrassed, adding senior players must lead the response. "We all have to go home and look ourselves in the mirror. We can't afford to keep on doing this," he said. "I'll always continue to keep fighting, no matter what situation I'm in. It's about me, the senior boys, everybody. We all have to drive that."

Supporters voiced their frustration during the match, chanting the name of midfielder Nico Raskin, who has been frozen out, and calling for head coach Russell Martin to be sacked. Tavernier acknowledged the fans' anger was understandable but said the manager should not be made a sole scapegoat for the club's poor form.

"Not a chance," he said when asked whether Martin was solely to blame. "He picks 11 players to start the game and we have to perform on that pitch. We had a long, hard chat after the Brugge game and we responded in terms of performance level against Celtic. But it can't be a light switch and for us to choose when our performance levels are high."

Tavernier also referenced some refereeing decisions that he felt "could have gone differently" but cautioned that such factors were "no excuse for the general game today." He stressed accountability from the players, saying they must play for the shirt, the manager, the fans and the club.

The captain pointed to the relative youth of the squad and suggested some players may be encountering this level of frustration for the first time. "All the fans want is for us to win games and show that we are doing the right basics. But right now, it's like a light switch. We're not doing it constantly. And that's the frustrating part. We all have to look at ourselves," he said.

Rangers' run leaves them well off the pace early in the league and under heightened scrutiny from supporters and pundits. The club's next fixtures and any internal decisions by the board are likely to be watched closely as Rangers seek to arrest a slump that has created sustained unease at Ibrox.

Tavernier concluded by urging unity and a quick turnaround in form. "No matter what disappointment is happening right now, we have to respond. And like I said, it's worse since I've been here. And we just have to get better."