Pedro Caixinha has disclosed what he wants from his Rangers players next season – and it alligns perfectly with his previous criticism of Barrie McKay.
Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha
If ‘character’ has become a catchphrase forever associated with Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers, Rangers counterpart Pedro Caixinha appears to be attempting to make ‘aggression’ his go-to buzzword in response.
After all, the Portuguese manager has left supporters in no doubt about the approach he wants his players to take next season. Following the plodding, possession based build-up encouraged by previous manager Mark Warburton, it appears that Caixinha wants a full-blooded, uber-attacking Rangers side to exhilarate Ibrox in the months to come.
“I think we need more width in the last third, and we need more aggression in that part of the pitch,” Caixinha told the Evening Times after securing the signings of jet-heeled widemen Dalcio and Daniel Candeias from Benfica.
Daniel Candeias played under Caixinha at Nacional
“We need to be more aggressive attacking full-backs, attacking spaces, arrivals, having associations with the strikers and to put more crosses in. That is what we are looking to have in our attacking side.”
However, while explaining why Rangers have targeted quick, direct wide players in the early weeks of the summer transfer window, Caixinha might just have given an indication as to why he is seemingly willing to part company with one of the club’s most naturally gifted players on a cut price fee.
‘I want more’
The Daily Record claim that 22-year-old Barrie McKay will be made available for just £2 million with the club unwilling to offer him a new contract. The youngster may have more potential than any other player in Rangers’ squad but, having been left out of huge clashes against Celtic last season, it appears that he has no future under Caixinha.
Rangers’ Barrie McKay
And it all comes back to that word; aggression.
“I want more than just a skilful player. I want (McKay) to be more aggressive, to see the game differently and to be more pro-active,” Caixinha told the Daily Record in April.
Rangers fans may not agree with Caixinha’s stance but, for now, all they can do is trust that their new manager knows what he’s doing.
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