Rangers captain James Tavernier welcomes new start under Michael Beale

Rangers captain James Tavernier has welcomed Michael Beale’s appointment as manager of the Ibrox club and believes it can be a new start for the team after a turbulent season so far.

While the league shut down for the World Cup Rangers took the decision to make a managerial change, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst leaving after a year in charge and Beale, a coach at the club during Steven Gerrard’s tenure, taking over as manager.

The new boss will take charge of his side for the first time in a competitive match when Rangers face Hibernian at Ibrox on Thursday night, and Tavernier says the game can be the beginning of a fresh approach from them team.

“After a break, you really can’t wait to get back in and start going again,” he said.

“It’s never nice to see a manager lose their job but there is a fresh face in the camp, obviously a new face to quite a few and an old face to the others.

“But it is great to see the gaffer back in the building and we have all really enjoyed working with him.

“So it is new faces, new tactics and a new start for the team. We have to push on.”

Tavernier is well used to Beale’s methods from the manager’s previous spell at Ibrox but thinks that the more senior role and responsibility for all aspects of the team will mean change. The full-back is confident that the new leadership can spark an improvement in form.

“Obviously he is gaffer now,” Tavernier said. “I think I have only called him Mick once in training and I stopped myself doing it.

“He will enjoy it more. It is his ship now. He can do what he wants to the team, it is his philosophy.

“It is an absolute joy working under him again and I think he is going to make the team stronger.”