TRUE-BLUE GRIT REQUIRED TO CLEAN UP THIS MESS
FROM the end of Aberdeen’s cycle to barking dogs and caravans and ‘what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’, Pedro Caixinha’s pronouncements veered from boastful to the baffling. One of his bolder statements was damned forever and exposed as damaging bluster by the wild events woven into the final six or so minutes of last Wednesday’s game against Kilmarnock, the dying embers of his dismal reign.
His Rangers rebuild, he claimed in the spring, would see him signing ‘real men.’
Yes, he had identified strength of character and mentality flaws in the squad inherited from Mark Warburton — and he was going to fix them. Apparently, the 46-year-old knew exactly the type of player required to flourish at Rangers.
This campaign for gathering strong personalities together was so successful that it led to the farcical scenes beyond the 90 minutes at Ibrox in midweek.
Rangers were weak of nerve, feeble of mind in stoppage time. Kenny Miller long since exiled. Lee Wallace, the captain of the club, told to stay away from Ibrox. Niko Kranjcar also banished.
There is a penalty needing put away to seal an edgy 2-0 win over struggling Kilmarnock.
Daniel Candeias was rendered unable to cope with the wait to take the spot-kick, an excuse of a shot allowing Jamie MacDonald to make a comfortable save.
Ryan Jack’s reckless indiscipline, leading to his third red card in 11 domestic outings for the club, had caused the delay. And where was the manager to swiftly make the necessary tactical switches to just see out the injury time? In the stand, of course, because of his own temperament issues.
Wes Foderingham’s reaction summed up the fury of a capable Rangers player at the incompetence all around him after Kilmarnock plundered a point from the chaos.
The goalkeeper was responsible for his team actually avoiding a defeat, making a terrific save from Rory McKenzie.
Foderingham had done all he could and watched his team-mates signed by Caixinha crash in front of him. His towel was slammed down on the turf, he screamed upfield and continued bawling as he brushed past coach Jonatan Johansson and marched up the tunnel angry and disgusted.
So what now for this unimpressive lot, several of whom might nurse a sense of loyalty to Caixinha for bringing them to Rangers?
Former chairman Alastair Johnston claims that a Rangers version of Brendan Rodgers out there could be appointed, coax far more improvement out of the group and transform fortunes.
Yet another period of expensive upheaval looks far more likely. When Paul le Guen was rumbled for failing to grasp the requirements of the Rangers managerial job, the delicate were weeded out quickly by Walter Smith and Ally McCoist in January 2007.
Sasa Papac was the only survivor deemed fit to wear the shirt for the long term, progressing to be a reliable influence in an imperious Davie Weir-led back four — or occasionally five or six. Filip Sebo, Libor Sionko, Jeremy Clement were moved out.
However, that Rangers squad was not saddled with flops on such huge wages as the gang Caixinha was permitted to recruit over a full close season.
Carlos Pena and Eduardo Herrera are raking in a combined £40,000-aweek and labouring badly in their new surroundings.
If the new manager does not fancy working the Rodgers-style magic on these two, then the summer’s business will smack of another act of financial suicide at a club well accustomed to pay-offs and cash burns.
All of this after Caixinha made the anticipated profits from a Europa League run disappear at the beginning of July and lost to Motherwell last week to give up a shot at a showpiece final.
Should Derek McInnes be actively pursued this week by the Rangers board, then one question mark in the former Ibrox midfielder’s mind may relate to the make-up of his inheritance.
His Aberdeen teams barely featured foreign influence as he stuck with a successful British formula. Taking on this considerable baggage left by Caixinha could be considered an unattractive part of any arrangement.
The Portuguese boss — tempted from the fifth-best team in the Qatari Stars League — was allowed to spend up to £8million on players he deemed perfectly suitable for the Scottish top flight.
He drove Barrie McKay and Michael O’Halloran out of the club before turning his guns on stalwart striker Miller and skipper Wallace.
O’Halloran, available for a loan recall from St Johnstone in January should Rangers’ 17th manager fancy him, will not be alone in wondering how much time has been wasted or damage done to Ibrox careers by the botched appointment of Caixinha.
Back in March, while managing director Stewart Robertson and board members Graeme Park and Andrew Dickson were driving through that bid for their No 1 managerial target Caixinha, the idea of pairing an appointment with a director of football was shelved.
It was June before former Manchester City academy director Mark Allen arrived at Ibrox. His contacts spawned the signing of Declan John on loan from Cardiff City, which proved a timely one as
‘CAIXINHA’S SUMMER TRANSFER BUSINESS SMACKS OF FINANCIAL SUICIDE AT A CLUB WELL ACCUSTOMED TO CASH BURNS’
cover for the injured Wallace. Allen has been fixing behind the scenes lately, establishing a long overdue scouting structure built to last. That department had been left to rot.
Then, under Warburton, Frank McParland’s record of recruitment was criticised at board level as his reign drew to an acrimonious conclusion. A key element of what Allen has constructed will ensure that players with the attitude to withstand the pressures of being at Rangers are targeted. The budget handed to Warburton made this requirement difficult to achieve.
The relative riches bestowed to Caixinha appear to have been blown as even the lauded capture of veteran Euro 2016 winner Bruno Alves has not worked out.
In Allen, Rangers’ selection panel can now turn to a football man to act as gatekeeper in the process of filtering through the candidates and offering contacts and expertise to produce a shortlist.
The new manager will be established and experienced. His CV will guarantee he need not use ‘the cut of his jib’ to impress the Rangers hierarchy.