EMMANUEL FERNANDEZ believes a Premiership title win will be the perfect send-off for captain James Tavernier.
The Gers skipper announced he will leave the club after 11 seasons at Ibrox at the end of the campaign.
Fernandez has praised the impact Tavernier has had on him since moving from Peterborough, but insists the squad aren’t thinking any further ahead than Motherwell tomorrow.
Speaking to the media, he said: “We all know what we need to do until the end of the season and it would be the perfect send off for him, but we have to take it one game at a time.
“It was tough when he told us and we were a bit shell-shocked. We all congratulated him and showed him love and we want to bring something back for him.
“I feel since I came here that he has been in my corner, he has supported me when I needed it.
“When I signed, I didn’t understand the size of the club, but his calm leadership carried me through.
“I remember when the gaffer came in, we played Hibs away and Tav spoke to me and told me I would get my opportunity.
“The game after that against Livingston I played and that moment from Tav lifted me up. I knew I had his trust and you have to be grateful to him for moments like that.
“He isn’t a shouter, he makes it easy for players and he makes you think you can play your own game.
“On the pitch you know what he gives to the team as well as his leadership, which is amazing.
“We will miss him a lot. He has been here 11 years, he knows the league, how to be at Rangers.
“But we have other characters who can step up who know how to be at Rangers.
“We have been on a positive run, we have only lost one game recently and everyone knows we have a real opportunity.”
Fernandez’s form at Ibrox has seen him rewarded with a first senior call-up for Nigeria as well as being named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year.
The defender was thrilled to be included and he believes the warm weather training camp in Spain will benefit the squad ahead of the run-in.
He added: “It was a bit of a shock to be in the Team of the Year as I started playing a bit later in the season.
“I didn’t expect it but to do it in my first season here, to get that recognition is a moment I won’t forget.
“Spain was one of the best things we have done.
“I spoke to players I maybe didn’t speak to as much before the trip. It was good for team bonding and it was nice to play in the heat - you don’t get much of that here.
“We all enjoyed it.”
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