PEDRO MAKES GERS WAIT
Target Caixinha delays arrival in Glasgow as talks continue
PEDRO CAIXINHA’S arrival in Glasgow has been delayed by at least 24 hours after his proposed move to Rangers stalled yesterday.
Record Sport can reveal the 46-year-old had hoped to arrive in Scotland at breakfast time today to sign on the dotted line and begin preparing for a baptism of fire at Celtic Park on Sunday.
But despite a full day of talks yesterday no agreement
was in place in time for the Portuguese coach to catch a flight from Doha.
The exact reason for the delay is not clear but Caixinha has still to agree terms on his Ibrox contract and negotiate a release from a megabucks contract at current club Al-Gharafa.
But sources close to Caixinha now say he hopes to be in Glasgow tomorrow and in charge for Sunday’s clash with Celtic.
A source said: “Originally, the plan was to get the offer from Rangers agreed then to negotiate Pedro’s way out of Al-Gharafa on Monday. That would have allowed him to close the deal and catch a flight to the UK.
“But the talks were not as straightforward as he had hoped so everything has been placed on hold for another 24 hours. If all goes well then he will arrive in Glasgow on Wednesday.”
While his appointment hangs in the balance the club’s hunt for a director of football is also dragging on.
The post has been offered to Southampton’s head of recruitment Ross Wilson but the 34-year-old failed to give an answer last week.
Sources say Wilson is now highly unlikely to be talked into leaving St Mary’s with Gers now set to consider alternatives, including Spurs star finder Paul Mitchell who last night left his post at White Hart Lane.
Ex-Birmingham boss Gary Rowett spoke to Gers last week about the manager’s job and admitted last night he’d relish the pressure.
He said: “It’s a compliment clubs like that are prepared to meet me. I hope my next challenge is as big as possible. That’s what I’m there for, to improve as a manager.”