EXCLUSIVE
ALAN STUBBS is convinced Rangers’ top managerial target Pedro Caixinha would not melt in a baptism of fire against Celtic.
In fact the former Hibs boss believes his mate – the pair forged a friendship on a UEFA Pro-Licence course at Largs – would relish the chance of making his bow in the pandemonium of Parkhead, even if Stubbs can’t see Rangers winning.
The Portuguese coach is ready to fly to Scotland this weekend in a bid to thrash out a move from Qatari outfit Al-Gharafa and succeed Mark Warburton in the Light Blues hotseat.
Caixinha is keen to be in charge for next Sunday’s derby against Brendan Rodgers’s rampant Hoops.
It’s a task most managers would run a mile from but Stubbs reckons the 46-year-old would relish pitting his wits against the Treble chasing Hoops in his first outing as Rangers boss.
Ex-Celtic defender Stubbs said: “Pedro wouldn’t be fazed by playing Celtic in his first game. He’s that type of guy. He’s such a calm, calculated individual.
“He would rise to that challenge. I’m not saying he’d get a result. I don’t think, no matter what he did in the short term, that Rangers could overcome Celtic right now.
“He would bring a calmness to the Rangers dressing room and the players would know in no uncertain terms what is expected of them and how he would want them to play.
“He’d be very clear with his game plan and philosophy.
“He’s got good morals, he’s a family man and is very respectful. He would be very respectful of Rangers as a football club and what it stands for – and he’d expect the same high standards from the players in return.
“Pedro would be a really good fit for Rangers. He’s taken his time to get to where he is now.
“He’s been an assistant under some good coaches and learned a lot. He’s worked his way up to being a head coach and has done very well.
“He’s been in charge of some highprofile clubs. People might not know all about those clubs but in their respective countries they’re high-profile jobs.
“I was on the SFA coaching course with Pedro. He’s a really good lad and what you would call a student of football.
“If he has got the job he will have done a lot of background checks into Rangers and what was going on at the club. He’ll have done his homework.
“He’s a very organised coach. He knows exactly what he wants and is very clear in his instructions.
“He’s an attack-minded coach and his teams will go forward a lot. But he is also very aware of the organisation of a team without the ball.
“That’s why I think he’d be a very good choice for Rangers.”
But Stubbs warns that in order for Caixinha and Rangers to be a success the club has to forget about pursuing Celtic and get their own house in order. The former Hibs boss believes the Ibrox club have to put a clear structure in place by appointing a manager and director of football because if they don’t they will continue to make the same mistakes in terms of player recruitment which eventually put paid to Warburton. Stubbs said: “In the short term people have to get out of the mindset of putting Rangers up against Celtic. At this moment in time they’re not rivals on the park. Celtic are so strong and far ahead both on and off the park.
“Rangers’ priority is to get a head coach and Caixinha would be a good appointment.
“They also need to bring in a director of football then set out a clear pathway and put a structure in place of where they want to take the club.
“It’s not about where Rangers are compared to Celtic just now. Rangers’ main priority right now is to install a manager and a director of football first and foremost.
“If they don’t get those appointments right the rest won’t follow and there will be a familiar pattern of things breaking down at the club time and time again.
“Look what happened to Mark Warburton last season. He beat Celtic in the Scottish Cup and was lauded as a hero – eight months later he was out of a job.
“That happened because there is no real structure in place at Rangers in terms of recruitment. Whatever recruitment policy the club had clearly hasn’t worked.
“Rangers should not be looking at the Premiership points gap to Celtic. They have to look at steadying the ship.
“Celtic is a ship that’s being steered in a clear direction and they know which way they’re going.
“Rangers are a rudderless ship that has just set off and they don’t have a clue where they’re going.
“Rangers need a sense of direction and a belief that what they’re doing is right for the football club. Nobody wants to see Celtic winning the league by a massive amount of points every season.
“I don’t think Celtic fans would want that, even though they want to see their team win.
“They want to beat a Rangers team who are challenging in a league set-up that’s very competitive.”
Stubbs says if Caixinha does get the Rangers job the Scouser would love to hook up with his Portuguese pal again.
He added: “I got on that well with Pedro I invited him down to my house for dinner after one of the Pro-Licence courses.
“He had dinner with my family and children who were young at the time. He had a great personality and was very hospitable.
“I brought him down to Merseyside and we went to an Everton game as he wanted to go to a British football game – and he loved it.
“He’s a really good guy and I can’t speak highly enough of him. Unfortunately we lost touch because of where his career took him.
“If he does get the Rangers job I would love to catch up with him again.
“In fact one thing you may soon learn about Pedro is that he puts us all to shame because his English is first class.
“Take it from me – he will never ask a Scottish journalist to repeat himself in a press conference situation because he didn’t understand the question!”
Pedro is a calm, collected individual who would rise to the challenge ALAN STUBBS