Caixinha eyeing cup success as he sets out 'ambitious but realistic' goals

13 March 2017 10:23

New Rangers boss Pedro Caixinha hopes it will take him just 75 days to lift his first trophy.

The little-known Portuguese coach met his new squad for the first time on Monday morning after being appointed the Ibrox outfit's 16th manager over the weekend.

He was at Celtic Park to watch the team earn a point in Sunday's 1-1 Old Firm draw but now he says he is aiming to go one better when the bitter rivals clash in next month's William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final.

And the 46-year-old former Al-Gharafa boss wants to see the team triumph once more at Hampden by winning the May 27 final against either Hibernian or Aberdeen.

Caixinha is also refusing to give up on the race for the Ladbrokes Premiership runners-up slot, despite currently trailing the Dons by eight points.

He told RangersTV: "In a massive club like this, I would identify three points: the history, the trophies and the fans.

"Regarding the goals, at all times we must focus on the trophies, and we are in the cup semi-final, so we need to think about winning that trophy.

"We need to think also about getting as close as possible to second position in the league. I have a positive approach, but we need to be real at the same time. We need to construct everything on a daily basis, preparing the future and preparing in a solid way in order for you to achieve what you want.

"You need to be ambitious, but you need to be realistic at the same time. We are being totally ambitious and realistic in saying that we would like to end up in the second position, and why not try to get a trophy in the Scottish Cup too?"

While Caixinha has been appointed, Gers are still searching for the right candidate to fill their newly-created director of football position after seeing Southampton's head of scouting and recruitment Ross Wilson turn down the role.

Caixinha insists he has no problem with the new structure being implemented by the Light Blues board.

"I have worked with that structure before, it is the sort of working relationship that I am used to but I've performed more as a manager at most of the clubs I have worked at," he said.

"I have worked more than a regular coach who prepares the team for the matches because I like to focus on the planning and organisation and also the long-term project.

"I am used to working with a director of football and it should be no problem at all because we will share the same philosophy.

"If the manager and the coach are sharing the same philosophy then everything is going to be easier.

"If you spread that philosophy to the players then the whole club has the same philosophy and everything is going to be easier and that is what everybody is looking for."

Source: PA