Ferguson delivers verdict on Caixinha after saying he had one month to save job
By Aramide Oladipo
Former Rangers captain Barry Ferguson has heaped praise on the club boss Pedro Caixinha and claimed that the manager’s message is finally getting across to the players.
The Portuguese manager is set to oversee his first full season in charge at Ibrox and he has completed the signings of nine new players over the summer.
The SPL side faced a major setback before the league season even started when they were humiliated and dumped out of the Europa League in the first qualifying round against Luxembourg minnows Progres Niederkorn in July.
Writing in his column for the Daily Record, Ferguson was quick to point that he was one of Caixinha’s critics but he admits that things look to be going in the right direction for Rangers and emphases a win is crucial in the opening league match.
“Following the defeat in Luxembourg which knocked them out of Europe I said that Pedro had one month to save his Rangers career,” he said.
“Well, the signs over the last week or so, after some very encouraging friendly performances, is that he is right up for the fight.
“It looks to me as if his message is starting to get through to the players and the team is responding to his instructions.
“They certainly look far more solid than they did at the end of last season or during that catastrophe in the Europa League.
“And that’s good news for the manager because he heads to Motherwell tomorrow facing a must-win match on the very first day of the season.
“That may sound ridiculous but it’s true all the same because if Rangers drop points at Fir Park it’ll be crisis time already .
“Sink or swim time. It really is as simple as that.”
Caixinha’s side travel to Motherwell as they get their SPL campaign underway on Sunday.
Rangers have enjoyed an impressive pre-season campaign in terms of performances and results as they have won back-to-back matches against Watford and Sheffield Wednesday.
With champions Celtic securing a comfortable 4-1 victory against Hearts on Saturday, Rangers will want to respond and set their stall out straight from the start.
In other Rangers news, a BBC pundit has given his prediction for the Gers clash against Motherwell.
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