CAIXINHA: JJ IS MAN WE NEED
RANGERS gaffer Pedro Caixinha reckons new backroom addition Jonatan Johansson will bring a cool head to Ibrox.
The ex-Light Blues star leaves his role as a coach with the Finland national team to assist the Gers boss after getting the nod ahead of the likes of Barry Ferguson, Alex Rae and John Brown.
Caixinha, 46, revealed during his search for a “local assistant” that he wanted someone to come in with a feel for what success at Rangers requires and to hit the ground running.
And the Portuguese manager is confident former Ibrox frontman Johansson’s knowledge of the club and experience means he will fit the bill perfectly.
He said: “We had a fantastic list of candidates. I didn’t like to call it an interview but we had discussions where we shared our views.
“First of all, we wanted someone with a Rangers past. The second point was to know the Scottish reality of football and the third, which was also important, is to align with our dynamic, processes and methodologies.
“Jonatan was selected, with no disregard to the others, because it was a very tough decision for me. I really appreciate all of the time and the contact that I had with all of the other guys.
“We chose Jonatan and we believe in him.
“He will be a good assistant to add to our team because he’s a quality guy, he is a hard worker and he is clever.”
Former striker Johansson, who spent three years at Rangers from 1997-2000, has earned his stripes behind the scenes, coaching at clubs including Motherwell.
And Caixinha believes the 41-year-old’s style complements his other staff.
The Ibrox boss said: “It’s important to find the balance within the technical staff.
“We have the Latin guys who have strong blood and are passionate.
“Maybe we just needed to add someone from further north who can add a little bit of ice to calm things down.
“There is going to be a very interesting mixture within our technical staff.”
Johansson himself is adamant that being a regular voice on Rangers’ TV helped him clinch the role.
The Finn has been a regular co-commentator on the channel.
He said: ”That has given me a chance to see opponents but also to see how we have been playing and the changes in the players. It’s exactly how I wanted my career to progress with a massive club like rangers.”