Gers striker desperate for chance to impress Pedro after Marseille no show
RANGERS hitman Martyn Waghorn says he is determined to rise to the challenge and become a regular starter under Pedro Caixinha. The 28-year-old feels he has something to prove to the Portuguese boss after he was an unused substitute in last Saturday’s morale-boosting 1-1 friendly draw with Marseille at Ibrox. Waghorn has seen himself drop down the pecking order with the arrival of Mexican attacker Eduardo Herrera and Colombian forward Alfredo Morelos. However, he admits he is ready to knuckle down, earn his place in the team and help Caixinha’s first full season in charge be a memorable one. Waghorn insists he will grab the opportunity to show what he can do in Rangers’ final two pre-season friendlies – away to Watford behind closed doors today then at Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday – if selected. He said: “The manager has brought in competition throughout the squad. “Not only for myself but for others on the fringes it’s the chance to impress. “We have games coming up and when you get your time, you are going to have to utilise it and do the best you can. “It’s going to be a big season for me – I want to do as well as I can for Rangers and I have a lot to prove. I feel it is going to be a successful time and I want to be a part of that.” Waghorn has previous experience of Hillsborough, having played there with Leicester and Wigan. The Light Blues are expected to be backed by 10,000 travelling fans but Waghorn knows Gers will face an intimidating atmosphere in Yorkshire. He said: “They are an established Championship side who have come a long way from where they were two or three years ago. So it will be a right good test for the boys at a good stadium. “There will be a good atmosphere as we have a lot of fans going . Hillsborough is always a hostile place for visiting teams so it will be good. “It’s incredible we are taking that support away but no matter where we have played the fans have always been there for us – wind, rain or snow. “Hopefully we can put on a show for them.” Caixinha has also thanked his compatriots Marco Silva and Carlos Carvalhal for agreeing to play these friendlies against Rangers at such short notice.
The Ibrox boss used the Portuguese connection as he headed up the Light Blues’ pre-season schedule and he revealed Watford boss Silva and Wednesday coach Carvalhal were only too willing to oblige.
The opposition will be tough as the Hornets have retained their English Premier League status for the season ahead while Wednesday finished fourth in the Championship last term.
Caixinha knows both will provide stern tests for Rangers ahead of their opening Premiership clash with Motherwell at Fir Park on Sunday, August 6.
He can’t wait to meet his old buddies again and will present them both with a bottle of Portuguese red wine as a token of his appreciation.
Caixinha said: “I thank both of them because it was just one message – are you available on these days to play us?
“They said ‘yes’ and I really need to be pleased with that.”
“Let me tell you I’m going to take a Portuguese wine, a red one, as a gift for them!”
Caixinha also revealed that he may use the game against Watford to try some new tactics with his squad but that the match against Wednesday will serve as serious preparation ahead of the trip to Fir Park on Sunday week.
He said: “Maybe in the second half I will try some different things in the match against Watford.
“I will try a different approach, a different formation perhaps. That’s what I’m thinking about for the moment.
“For Sheffield it’s more like the last rehearsal, let’s say it like that. It will be something more similar to what we are going to face at Motherwell.”