JAMES TAVERNIER is fighting to get his hands on the Premiership trophy.
But no matter how the title race pans out, the Rangers captain should definitely be crowned Scotland’s Player of the Year.
For me, there are four obvious contenders for that prize in the top flight— Tavernier, his Rangers team-mate Jack Butland, Celtic’s Matt O’Riley and Hearts’ Lawrence Shankland.
Fans, players and managers will make strong cases for all of them.
But Tav is ahead of the rest in terms of his consistency and his contribution to the Rangers team.
His overall importance to the club, season after season, cannot be downplayed.
Week after week, he churns out big performances and weighs in with important strikes.
His record is incredible. It’s not normal for right-backs to bag 23 in a season — and counting.
Tavernier broke the all-time British scoring record for a defender recently and there will be more to come.
His penalty against Celtic last Sunday was another crucial moment from him.
But it’s also his goals from open play and his ability to step up when Rangers have needed him that stand out.
Think back to the St Mirren game in October when Rangers didn’t have a manager.
Paisley was a tough venue, Saints hadn’t lost there at that point and the visitors were in free-fall, but Tavernier scored twice in a 3-0 winto calm things down.
In the Viaplay Cup final against Aberdeen in December, he was the one who popped up for the winner.
Other players have also been central to Philippe Clement’s incredible Rangers revival.
But Tavernier is the one who has been driving their unexpected bid for a Treble.
Look, he has flaws. I’ve spoken about them often enough and there are clearly times when he could defend better.
Yet he has helped drag Rangers back into the title race and will be key to their chances of winning the championship.
The same goes for Butland, who had huge gloves to fill replacing Allan McGregor in the summer.
He has turned out to be an inspired signing and like Tavernier, has been so important for Rangers.
Butland’s form has propelled him back into the England reckoning and it would be a disgrace if he’s left out of the Euros squad.
O’Riley is also bidding to make the plane to Germany after breaking into the Denmark set-up.
The Celtic midfielder has been excellent and if half-season awards had been dished out in January, he would have been a top pick.
O’Riley started the campaign really strongly and it was no real surprise the likes of Atletico Madrid were sniffing around him.
His form tailed off for a spell after the winter break and he admitted himself the interest from Spain did impact him. Judging by his performance at Ibrox on Sunday, though, O’Riley is edging back to his best.
There’s no doubt he has been Celtic’s best player this season, but overall, Tavernier edges it across the league.
That’s maybe harsh on Shankland, who will no doubt scoop every Hearts award going.
I’m one of his biggest fans and it’s to the striker’s credit that the debate is no longer whether he makes Scotland’s Euros squad, but whether he starts.
Shankland will finish the season with 30-plus goals and could land a massive move this summer. Hearts, in general, have had a terrific campaign and it feels like they have had third place sealed for months.
Steven Naismith had to fight through a rocky spell early in the season, but his work has been outstanding.
If he can finish it all off by lifting the Scottish Cup, he would have a strong claim for the top manager prize.
Boydy's choices
Here's a look at who our man considered, and who he's picked
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jack Butland, Matt O’Riley, Lawrence Shankland, JAMES TAVERNIER
MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Philippe Clement, Derek McInnes, Steven Naismith, Brendan Rodgers
YOUNG PLAYER: Lennon Miller, DAVID WATSON
Likewise, if Clement wins the league or Brendan Rodgers wins a Double, it’s hard to argue against either of them. With so much in the balance, the manager award is a tough call right now.
But I would have no issue with Derek McInnes getting it.
He brought Kilmarnock up from the Championship and consolidated their Premiership status last year and has now sealed a top-six finish.
If McInnes can steer Killie into Europe, he would be a deserving winner of the award.
What isn’t up for debate is that RugbyPark kid David Watson should be scooping the Young Player of the Year prize.
Motherwell’s Lennon Miller is another teenager who has shown his promise.
But, at 19, midfielder Watson has played with a maturity and consistency beyond his years.
He has made 40 appearances, weighed in with spectacular goals and important ones — not least the equaliser at Celtic Park and a big last-minute winner at Pittodrie.
Watson has a huge future ahead of him and should be getting his good suit looked out for those award photos next month.
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