Former Rangers captain James Tavernier was greeted with expletive-laden anti-Celtic chants by Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters prior to his home debut in Israel. The 34-year-old full-back praised his new surroundings following consecutive domestic victories, confirming his family will join him soon.
The former Ibrox skipper has stepped straight into a fiery atmosphere in Tel Aviv. As Tavernier approached the home end ahead of his home debut, Maccabi supporters serenaded the veteran defender with a foul-mouthed chant aimed directly at Celtic. The Tel Aviv crowd made their feelings explicit, shouting “F*** you, Celtic” as Tavernier made his way toward the stands. The Israeli supporters reacted to the vocal pro-Palestine stance taken by Celtic fans and the Green Brigade ultras, which previously earned the Parkhead club UEFA disciplinary action. The intense shadow of Scottish football’s bitter divide followed the Rangers icon overseas immediately.
On the pitch, Tavernier has already made his presence felt during the opening matches of the season. The 34-year-old featured in consecutive 4-1 victories over Hapoel and Be’er Sheva as his team established early domestic form. With the campaign still in its preliminary phase, the former Rangers leader is focused on securing consistency on the pitch while integrating into a new dressing room.
Despite the ongoing global scrutiny surrounding the region, Tavernier offered a glowing assessment of his initial weeks in Tel Aviv. Speaking to Sport5, the veteran defender defended his decision to move and confirmed his household would soon join him in Israel. He said: “What you read about Israel in the international media doesn’t really reflect what it’s like here. It’s an amazing place with incredible people, and I can’t wait for my wife and family to come over and live here with me.”
Tavernier now turns his attention to stabilizing his family life in Israel while managing expectations on the pitch. Maccabi will rely on the defender’s European experience and leadership as they navigate their early fixture list.
