OUTOF OUTOF
Rae: Pedro should banish his duds to corner of Murray Park where he can’t see them or face a revolt in dressing-room
ALEX RAE believes Pedro Caixinha must cut the dead wood out of his new-look Rangers first-team dressing room.
The former Ibrox midfielder is convinced the biggest challenge facing the Gers boss is how to banish the duds who have become surplus to requirements but are determined to outlast him.
A host of high-earners Caixinha inherited from former gaffer Mark Warburton have been put on the market with the likes of Harry Forrester, Michael O’Halloran, Matt Crooks and Rob Kiernan heading the list.
But ex-Dundee and St Mirren boss Rae insists Murray Park provides the perfect geography to keep the unwanted stars well out of sight.
He said: “The hardest part of Pedro’s job will be trying to get the players who aren’t in his plans out of the door as some of them are on two and three-year contracts.
“How poisonous that will be depends and whether Pedro shifts them into the youth department.
“I know the youth department probably won’t want them either because they want to nurture kids and won’t want senior players moping about.
“It depends on the player and their application when they are moved there as you want to exclude them. The dynamics at Murray Park are such that you can put them in the other part of the building so they won’t be involved with the first team.
“We have all been at clubs where you are made to come in early or late, been asked to travel to reserve games in the back of beyond. It’s just a tactic from the management to try to force players out of the door.
“If Pedro thinks that is the way to
GORDON PARKS
go then fine, as I’ve been a player and a manager and know how both think.
“If you are on £7000 pounds a week then it’s easy to sit tight and say you will see it out.
“I know the mentality and know how they work, they’ll sit there and believe they can see the manager out of the door first.
“There were probably a few players at St Mirren last season thinking that as well.
“It’s just the nature of the game and it’s a battle of wits but agents are very much a part of that game.
“The issue they have is that these players are on so much money. It’s a different kettle of fish if it’s players on a few hundred quid which takes me back to my Falkirk days when the manager had all the power.
“These days it’s about the player and what suits them. They will sit tight until the club comes up with a compromise.”
Rae admits the best-case scenario is to come