Cardle seeks to trip up Pedro after shocking Hearts’ Cathro
Joe Cardle has already helped get Ian Cathro the sack after Dunfermline knocked Hearts out of the Betfred Cup.
And the Pars winger now wants to pile pressure on Rangers boss Pedro Caixinha by doing the same at Ibrox.
The 30-year-old scored for the Fifers at Tynecastle last weekend as the Jambos crashed out at the group stage.
Allan Johnston’s side earned a crack at Gers in the last 16 and Cardle insists they’ve nothing to fear.
He says all eyes will be on Caixinha and his new players on Wednesday night – just as it was for Cathro.
Cardle could sense the tension among the Jambos players prior to the 2-2 draw that ended their Betfred Cup hopes and got the manager the bullet.
And he hopes that Dunfermline can also make Ibrox a nervy place for Caixinha in midweek.
He told MailSport: “Ibrox will hold no fears for us. The pressure will all be on Rangers in their first competitive game at home for a new-look team.
“We’ l l have to do the same on Wednesday as we did at Tynecastle.
“Our work ethic got us through the Hearts game. The boys grafted so hard.
“We got goals at good times and it was a great day for everyone involved. It’s a case of same again for us against Rangers.
“All the pressure’s on them. We can just go there and play our own game, as we’ve done in the last few weeks.
“When I scored at Tynecastle you could feel the mood changing in the stadium.
“We gained a lot of confidence from that and fed off the atmosphere.
“That’s what it takes in a game like that – a bit of magic to turn it for you. I was lucky enough to come up with the equaliser and it helped the boys push on.
“I know we drew in the end but it certainly felt like a win as it knocked Hearts out of the competition.
“They had lost against Peterhead and we felt the nerves within their camp.
“I know a few of their players and I could feel it from them.
“When we went 2-1 up, their fans were all over them because they knew the situation they were in.
“With Rangers, all eyes will be on their manager and new players.
“That’s why we’re looking forward to it. It will be a great occasion and anything can happen in a knock-out cup tie.
“It’s brilliant for us just to play at Ibrox and I’m sure it will be a decent crowd because it’s the first home game.
“We’ll relish going there.” Dunfermline didn’t just outplay Hearts last week, they outran them at times.
And Cardle insists that’s all down to Johnston making them one of the fittest teams in the country. He said: “We’re such a fit squad. The manager put us through a tough pre-season but we needed it.
“It’s great for me as a wide man because I know I’ll have to put in a shift – especially in games like the one at Ibrox.
“It won’t be all attacking, we’ l l obviously need to defend too.
“At the time you curse the gaffer for putting you through your paces. But we know it will benefit us in the end and we’ll be ready on Wednesday.
“Certainly, our fitness showed against Hearts and was a big part of why we did so well.”
The Pars aren’t one of the bookies’ favour ites for promotion to the Premiership this season.
But with the likes of Dean Shiels, Declan McManus and Nicky Clark in their ranks, winger Cardle expects them to compete for the title.
He said: “We’ll surprise a few people in the Championship this season.
“Everyone is talking about Dundee United, Falkirk and one or two others. But we have a good mix of youth and experience in the squad.
“The gaffer throwing young Callum Smith into the side against Hearts was a big thing.
“He gave a boy his first start at Tynecastle, against quality opposition in Christophe Berra and John Souttar, but he put on a show.
“That proves he has confidence in the kids. We have enough in our squad to be challenging at the top of the table.”