Rangers’ new boss Pedro Caixinha faced the club during his time with Panathinaikos.
New Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha
Rangers were finally able to present Pedro Caixinha as their new manager on Monday afternoon, with the Portuguese boss unveiled to the media as Mark Warburton’s replacement.
The Gers parted ways with Warburton last month, and whilst a host of ex-Rangers men – such as Alex McLeish, Derek McInnes and even Frank de Boer – were linked with the job, Rangers have gone for a relative unknown as their latest boss.
Caixinha, 46, has managed in his native Portugal with Uniao Leiria and Nacional, in Mexico with Santos Laguna, and most recently with Qatari side Al-Gharafa, the club he left in order to join Rangers.
Few Rangers fans will have known much about Caixinha before he emerged as Rangers’ top target for the job, but he has actually faced Rangers before.
During Rangers’ path to the UEFA Cup Final against Zenit St. Petersburg back in 2008, Walter Smith’s side took on Greek giants Panathinaikos in a two-legged Round of 32 clash, having finished third in their Champions League group.
The first leg at Ibrox finished 0-0, with Rangers going through on away goals after a 1-1 draw in Athens – and whilst Jose Peseiro was managing Panathinaikos, his assistant was none other than new Gers boss Caixinha.
Caixinha’s 2008 mission against the Gers has largely gone unnoticed during the club’s pursuit of his services, but one journalist did ask Caixinha about his history at Ibrox during his press conference on Monday.
New Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha poses with a scarf
As seen on Rangers’ official YouTube channel, Caixinha admitted that he remembers his trips to Ibrox both as a coach and when scouting the Gers, noting that he was ‘very well received’ at Rangers.
“I remember everything,” said Caixinha. “When I was with Panathinaikos, when I was assistant coach, one of my main tasks was to scout the opponents and analyse the opponents. I was here, I was here to watch the match against Kilmarnock, and I returned again to scout them but playing away at Inverness. I do remember that I was here, very well. I was very well received,” he added.
Caixinha clearly remembers his experience well, and he will be hoping to enjoy great success at Rangers, with a return to Europe no doubt in his mind – but this time, in the home dugout at Ibrox.
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