QUARTER BACK NIKO CAN HELP ME GRID IRON OUT PROBLEMS
ST JOHNSTONE V RANGERS Pedro backs Kranjcar to be key man
Pedro Caixinha is ready to build his football vision around veteran playmaker Niko Kranjcar next season.
The luckless 81-cap Croatian saw his first season at Rangers wrecked by injury just as he was finding his feet and his fitness in October.
Now the new boss is thrilled to have a ready-made focal point without having to use up any of his recruitment budget.
And he insists he can use the 32-year-old’s ability to manipulate the game like an American football coach uses his quarterback.
Caixinha said: “I like pedigree players. Niko can be a key player for Rangers. He’s going to be like a new player too. He has quality, experience, understanding and leadership.
“He’s the type of player the team can be controlled by regarding the pace of the game, the tempo of the game and the style of football we want to perform.
“It fits totally with him. I like the higher pace and higher rhythm taking place here but I like to control the rhythm. We can’t play all the time at a high tempo.
“It’s important to have players who understand the game and how to perform that way in your squad. Niko is definitely one of those type of players.
“It’s a bonus that he’s already here, he knows us, we know him. We know what we want from each other.”
Caixinha has started to build a relationship with the former Dinamo Zagreb, Portsmouth and Spurs midfielder that he sees blossoming in months to come.
And he’s adamant the Croat has nothing to prove, despite only eight starts so far for Gers.
He said: “I just met him at the last stage of his recovery and I can tell you this guy is a great professional. He’s the first one to arrive and normally the last one to go. He works hard – he asked me what he should do on his vacation because he’s going to work with his personal trainer.
“It tells you what he’s looking for at the start of pre-season.
“He’s always available to discuss football as well. I like players who want to discuss the game, training sessions, everything. That means, as the guys from American football say, you have your quarterback.
“In American football, the coach and his quarterback discuss things together, they discuss tactics.
“This isn’t at this level but I like to have that sort of relationship with my players.
“Niko has nothing to prove but I