Embarrassing
BOSS BLASTS RIVALS AND HIS OWN STARS SAYS PEDRO CAIXINHA
Rangers boss Pedro slates his players over semi-final flop
PEDRO CAIXINHA faced the media yesterday after his team’s Betfred Cup semi-final defeat to Motherwell at Hampden which saw him sent to the stand in a bad-tempered game. The Rangers boss held his press conference just hours after going over the 2-0 loss with his squad as he prepares for tomorrow’s Premiership clash with Kilmarnock at Ibrox. Caixinha addressed a wide range of issues, including his inability to win three games on the trot in seven months as Gers boss, the standard of Scottish referees, Dave King’s presence at Hampden and the fact he continues to leave out veteran Kenny Miller. Here is the full Q&A: Q: You have had time to reflect on the game on Sunday. What are your thoughts? PC: I’ve had time to reflect, analyse it and discuss it with the players. And time to review it as well. I just had a few hours sleep, as usual when you lose a match like this.
We came to one conclusion that we shared with the players, although knowing above all the responsibility is with me and they are also responsible but in a lower level.
I have been asked about not winning three games in a row. The pattern is there and the third game is usually a key game, like an Old Firm game or semi-final.
The pattern is the team don’t give you strong response. That means you need to take the reflection to another level and work out what you need to change on your weekly work.
Motherwell performed exactly the way we knew they would. We didn’t. We chose exactly the right contents on the training session so the players knew what they were facing.
We already played Motherwell in the first game of the season. We chose the right footage to show them how they play in all the moments of the game.
We worked more than usual on defending set-pieces, for example. We chose the right contents in order to review everything and show the players what we wanted from the game.
But what we worked on during the week and what the team produced on the pitch is a huge difference.
And that huge difference I can’t control. I can make them better tactically. I can make them more aware and better physically for the way we want to play the game.
But the last level for what is required to be a Rangers player wasn’t there. We feel don’t have that final stage and that’s why we didn’t play our game.
I discussed with the players that we can’t be afraid of winning.
The last point of the analysis was this: I believe in you, I brought you here or extended your contracts if you were already here. That means I really believe in you and you need to understand that belief and conviction have to produce the standards and character required for Rangers.
I don’t know if I can call upon all 11 players who started on Sunday but if I can they’ll be the 11 who start on Wednesday. People talk about GAVIN BERRY pressure. Pressure is someone who has no money to pay the bills or feed his family and give them education.
Playing in front of your fans in a semi-final or key fixture needs to be something that creates passion to enjoy it rather than the opposite. Q: This Rangers team doesn’t win big games ... A: That’s a fact. Q: Eight of the team that started on Sunday you brought to the club. So how do you change it? A: The score will take care of itself but for the score to take care of itself you need to change a lot of things.
This is a massive club with a huge history and a huge fan base. A loyal fan base. This is what makes the club big.
But what you need inside – and we are working hard in that direction, the board, the chairman, the players – is to get the right structure with everyone sharing the same vision in order to link with your history and loyal fan base.
How many transfer windows did we have so far? How many months are we in the club? How many more things do we need to change? How many years have Rangers been out of the Scottish system?
Are we happy with the direction Scottish football is going? How many international referees are in the last stages of the biggest competitions? How many Scottish players are known European-wide? How long has the UEFA co-efficient been going down? How long has the national team been absentQ: from the biggest competitions? What has this got to do with losing to Motherwell? A: Everything. You have the Q: connection. What has this got to do with your team not having the character to beat Motherwell? A: You were at the game. Was it a football game or an early over country game? It was physical and that’s the direction we all want in Scottish football, right? Q: You said your players were prepared for that physicality ... A: That’s true. We didn’t play differently and that was the problem. The question is why they didn’t cope with it and I’ve already explained that in a long way. Draw your own conclusions.
Motherwell will play the Final against Celtic at the end of November. They will play the same way and I wish them all the very best. But I know they Q:Why?won’t finish the game with 11 players. A: You didn’t see the game? Because they are going to take the right decisions. I reviewed the game and I’m shocked. Did you see Fabio’s face? If you call that football ... if that happens and no action is taken I don’t know Q: what might happen after. Do you think if people celebrate Motherwell’s style then Scottish football can only go down? A: They are physical and know how to play. But physical is one thing, aggression is another. Do you think in a normal game of football they would finish with 11 men? There were three teams on the pitch: Rangers, Motherwell and another one who is in charge of the game. Q: There could be an argument that Bruno Alves could possibly have been ordered off? A: I agree. But it definitely doesn’t balance out. If Ryan Bowman received a red card after his first elbow on Fabio and then he kicked Declan John after 10 minutes then what can you do with 10 men for 80 minutes? Things change. That is different from Bruno being sent off at 2-0 when the game is over. Q: Can you trust your players in the Kilmarnock game? A: What I told them and I’m telling you is that if I have the chance to play the first 11 then I will do it so that means I have total trust in them. Q: You said they prepared for Motherwell but something happened when they got on the pitch. What is the difference? A: I had the meeting with them and the message. If I can play the first 11 then I will, I’m giving the line-up for Kilmarnock. I just want my players to understand my feelings. To understand we were ashamed about what happened. I want them to react properly. I brought them all here. They are here because of me. I want them to see this is not an end point – they’re at a point where we can go further. Q: Do you think they are mentally tough enough to play for Rangers?
A: They need to be. They are. Sometimes you have to pass through situations like this a lot of time to show you are and get used to it. There are guys who have it and others who need more time. And others Q: who are not going to get it. Is that what is missing in big games? A: Yeah, definitely. Q: Do you think with the standard of refereeing in this country and style of football that teams play you can achieve what you want with the style of football you want to play? A:Yes. If we had assumed the game the way we need to assume it and the way we need to play it, and the way we work on a daily basis to play that way, I can assure you, yes. If you score in minute one with the first chance or five minutes into the second half before they scored their first, we could be Q: talking about a different game. Did you speak with Dave King afterwards? A: No, I just waved to him. We will meet but we haven’t yet. Q: You seem more determined than ever ... A: No, I’ve always been like this. Since day one. Q: Some are questioning whether you should be Rangers manager. You are as determined as ever? A: That’s the way I am, the way I need to be at this club. NormallyQ: I lead by example. Do you feel under any more pressure? A: I’ve already given you my definition of pressure and thank God I’m not in those conditions. I hope never to be. If I have one day like that I’ll feel under pressure. Q: If you could turn the clock back would you have played Miller? A: No. I told you before. Do I speak Spanish or Portuguese? I wouldn’t change anything. Unless I have to replace injured players, I will play the same 11 again. Was Kenny Miller in that 11? Q: But he has that biggame mentality you were talking about that was missing. A: Thank you for your point of view. Q: Is the situation with Miller the same? A: What do you mean the same? The manager has the duty to take the decisions and pick the players. That’s me.