Kranjcar can be my pedigree chum, says excited Caixinha
HARRY REDKNAPP look away now. Niko Kranjcar has a new admirer with plans to build a team around the Croatian star and quite a bond has formed between the pair already. The running joke goes that wherever Redknapp pitches up, Kranjcar will follow. There may be some jealousy at play for the Birmingham boss now that Pedro Caixinha has arrived at Rangers.
As the Portuguese surveys the merits of each member of his Rangers squad inherited from Mark Warburton, Kranjcar’s name stands out a mile. ‘I like pedigree players,’ declared the Ibrox coach.
This European thoroughbred fits that bill and certainly will not have been in mind when Caixinha offered a withering verdict on the standard of the squad he has picked up.
Kranjcar is one of the few not on trial at Ibrox in recent weeks throughout the manger’s assessment process.
The 32-year-old has been absent since suffering a serious knee injury in October and only returned to full training with the first team in the past fortnight. That has offered Caixinha a tantalising glimpse of what the most gifted player in his squad will be able to do when fully fit and available for the start of next season.
And, with apologies to Redknapp, he has big plans for Harry’s former Portsmouth, Spurs and Queens Park Rangers playmaker.
‘Niko is the type of player that the team can be controlled by,’ said Caixinha. ‘Regarding the pace of the game, the tempo and the style of football we want to perform.
‘It fits totally with him. I like the higher pace and higher rhythm which is taking place in the Scottish league. But I like to control the rhythm. We cannot play all the time at a high tempo.
‘It is always important having players in your squad who understand the game to perform that way. Definitely, Niko is one of those type of players.
‘It is a bonus that he is already here. He knows us, we know him. We know what we want from each other. I like pedigree players.
‘I think he can be a key player for Rangers. He will be a new player, too. He has quality, experience, understanding and can also be a leader.’
Toiling for fitness in the early weeks after playing in the North American Soccer League there were all sorts of criticism suggesting Kranjcar was a poor fit for the Ladbrokes Premiership.
Sadly for Mark Warburton, who had flown to New York to woo him during the close season, Kranjcar was only beginning to hit his stride in the autumn when disaster struck. Caixinha snorted derisively at the suggestion that here was a veteran with a point to prove when trying again to make an impression in the Scottish game.
‘Niko has nothing to prove as an individual player,’ insisted Caixinha. ‘He is really committed and looking to perform at his best level with Rangers.
‘He thinks we have so much to give and he identified this club as one of the biggest he has ever played for. I just met him at the last stage of his recovery.
‘And I can tell you this guy is a great professional. He is the first one to arrive and is normally the last one to go. He is always available to discuss football, training sessions, everything. I like players like that.
‘In American football, you have your quarterback. The coach and his quarterback discuss these things together. They discuss tactics together. Now, this is not at that level, but it’s sort of relationship is one that I like to have with my players.
‘Niko is getting his fitness levels up. He is a hard guy. He has done everything to come back in the best possible condition.
‘He asked me: “What should I do on my vacation because I am going to work with my personal trainer?”. This tells you what he is looking for. But he doesn’t need to do anything else, just do the rehab and get back to the same level as all the others for June 5.’
While Kranjcar broke down in October, he lasted longer than the rest of the supposed dream midfield assembled last year. Jordan Rossiter’s campaign finished in August and Joey Barton’s Rangers playing career ended abruptly following a furious exchange in the aftermath of the 5-1 thrashing at Celtic Park. Even though Rangers are poised to add a bit of midfield steel with the imminent arrival of Ryan Jack on a free transfer from Aberdeen, the luckless Rossiter and Kranjcar could yet have a partnership, according to Caixinha. He added: ‘From what I have seen of them, they give us totally different solutions, options straight away and make us a better team. ‘I can see that Jordan has a nice first touch, although he is just starting. He is the holding midfielder, which I call No 6. This is very important in the
build-up, division of play and, after that, balance. He’s always looking to go forward. Not just receiving the ball and making the safe pass. For a team that needs to have more control and initiative of the game, that is a key position to play in.’
Keeping the pair company in recovery lately has been Lee Wallace, not seen since being substituted with hip and groin issues against Motherwell on April 1 and out of contention for a Scotland call-up.
Caixinha has confirmed Wallace will return as his skipper for next season.
‘Lee will still be our captain,’ stated the manager. ‘He is another guy we are very close to, very related. We want to spread that leadership to those sort of players.
‘We are protecting him in order for him to start on with us on June 5.’