Davie Provan believes Pedro Caixinha faces an uphill battle at Rangers.
Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha
Pundit Davie Provan has told The Scottish Sun that he would be surprised to see Pedro Caixinha still in charge of Rangers in a year’s time.
The Gers picked up a vital 3-0 away win over Aberdeen on Sunday afternoon, as a brace from Kenny Miller and Joe Dodoo’s goal handed Rangers all three points at Pittodrie.
That victory cut Aberdeen’s lead in second place to nine points, giving Rangers hope of pushing the Dons all the way in the battle for second, with Celtic having already wrapped up the league title.
The win was the most important of Pedro Caixinha’s brief spell in charge so far, as he has already done what predecessor Mark Warburton couldn’t – he oversaw a victory in an away game against a big rival.
Caixinha, who remains unbeaten after four games in charge with two wins and two draws, will now be hoping to finish the season strongly, ahead of what is bound to be a pivotal transfer window for the club.
Last summer, Warburton oversaw poor signings such as Philippe Senderos and Joey Barton, whilst his big-money capture, Joe Garner, has failed to set Scottish football alight since his move from Preston North End.
Now, pundit Davie Provan has told The Scottish Sun that Rangers need at least six signings to not only try and close the gap to Old Firm rivals Celtic, but also to overtake Aberdeen as Scottish football’s second best club.
Provan also cast doubt over Caixinha’s long-term future, suggesting that he would be surprised if the Portuguese boss is still in charge in a year’s time due to the level of the task facing him, and believes Rangers should have tried to lure former midfielder Derek McInnes from Aberdeen instead.
Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha
“If Pedro Caixinha is still in charge of Rangers this time next year I’ll be surprised,” said Provan. “The Portuguese coach is a bright guy but doesn’t have a clue what he’s taken on. The former matador would have been safer in the bull ring. He’ll do well to last a season. That’s no reflection on Caixinha himself. But rarely have the dice been so heavily loaded against an Old Firm boss.”
“Thanks to Mark Warburton’s poor use of the transfer market, Gers have gone backwards. Warburton’s exit was hardly surprising but nobody saw what was coming next. The Caixinha appointment was straight out of left field. An unnecessary gamble from the Rangers board. The judgement of the Gers hierarchy is already in doubt after Warburton’s failure. When they should have been breaking their necks to land McInnes himself, they’ve taken a punt on Caixinha. Offered the safe hands of McInnes or an unknown from the Qatari league, how many punters would have taken the Portuguese?”
“Right now Rangers aren’t in the same ballpark as Celtic, who could land another £30million of Champions League cash in the autumn. But if they’re to overtake Aberdeen, Caixinha will need to be busy this summer. Good players cost good money and if Rangers are to benefit from Caixinha’s knowledge of the foreign market, they had better be prepared to spend in the next window. I reckon they’ll need at least six new faces, with a proven striker the priority,” he added.
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