Is this the smartest thing Pedro Caixinha has done at Ibrox?

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Is this the smartest thing Pedro Caixinha has done at Ibrox?

Inspired by Alec Beveridge, a long-time poster on Ibrox Noise (we do read the comments you know), it has occurred to the site that manager Pedro Caixinha’s seemingly strange act of announcing his team 36 hours early for the trip to Rugby Park was in fact a calculated and deliberate act and not just a quirky and eccentric approach to the match.

As we remember, not only was the announcement of the team a day and a half early, it threw in a total left-fielder with the news two rookies would make their senior debuts in the heart of defence. And yet, despite many questioning whether Pedro had lost his marbles, in the weeks that have followed it has been an act completely vindicated.

Alec suggested that in fact Pedro had made this announcement early in order to give the two young players time to adjust to the pressure. Instead of being thrown in at the deep end on the day, they had well over a day, maybe two, to embrace the notion they would start in Kilmarnock, and give themselves time to mentally and physically ready themselves.

If Alec is right, and at this point there is no reason to suggest he is not, it really has worked a treat – three clean sheets have followed that press conference, with a defensive pairing tight than two coats of paint (thanks Tom), while the left back rookie, Myles Beerman, looks like he has been doing this for years not weeks.

Playing for the Famous Glasgow Rangers is not easy – the pressure, the goldfish bowl, the sheer gravity of must-win. And for two newbies being given their debuts it must be especially daunting. It is what they have worked for all their young lives, but when it arrives it becomes real.

And while hindsight is a wise owl, it looks like Caixinha may have played a blinder with such a clever move. It could have gone horribly wrong, true; but Ped clearly trusted both players enough to put them straight into the team, and keep them there in Aberdeen.

And he appears to have played a truly exceptional hand by giving them well over a day in the pressure cooker of the Scottish media before they made their maiden bows.

It really has worked out exceptionally well so far. Well played!

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9 COMMENTS

  1. True – but he could just as well have done that without broadcasting it to the whole world. It was a calculated risk that paid off, on that occasion. Could just as well have blown in his face tho!

    • How could he have got that much media glare without broadcasting Rab? That's why he done it in the first place – think about it at worst Rangers would've been beaten at Kilmarnock.. If that was the case Ped would've taken the flack and not Bates & Beerman when you think about it.. He was putting them in the media glare plus the rest of the team for that fact – ultimately he would've taken the rap… The special one is a master at mind games but also protecting his players…

  2. Aye funny a journo touched on that early today saying Ped may have planned it all in advance for the OF games.. Pure master stroke when you think about the media limelight and the pressure which was generated – not to mention every Tom Dick & Harry saying he was a mug ( ex Gers players and fans a like ). Regardless of the result that comes on Sunday – Warburton or any other ex Rangers Manager would'nt have have been that clever…

    • I believe he was thinking ahead. Pedro knew that he was likely to be missing defensive experience in the semi final and needed to know if the 2 youngsters could hack it cos rest assured Rogers will instruct his guys to put them under pressure the way Hibs did to Tavernier in May. Lee Mcculloch would have told his guys to do the same since he knew the team in advance. What was to lose really? Second place in the league? Warburton had already lost that.

  3. I think your losing the plot, there was nothing calculated in putting us all in a very bad place, we don't need the manager setting us up for a duck shoot….we got away with a draw but it made us look pathetic and not how we need to be perceived. Our detractors don't need more ammunition to have pops at us…so cut the shit out and get on with managing the team, the way a Rangers manager should, with dignity and pride….schoolboy tactics we don't need….results we do.

    GSTQ

  4. The results have improved and the defence also school boy tactics or not you have to agree.. His methods might be different to what Walter or big Eck has done that doesn't make it wrong.. As for what others think of Rangers that's up to them they will think it anyways.. I do agree results matter he took a risk and it's paid aff so far…

  5. Agree with Bilko McK . He did it to allow these lads to get the feel for it , the old firm game is a whole different story , I still however would play both of them without hesitation they are our future . As I said earlier I think we can beat them if we stay focussed and keep at that crap back four they have both CH are slow and cumbersome. WATP

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