PEDRO Caixinha stopped some way short of boldly declaring that Rangers would be “Going for 55” as he looked ahead to the start of the Ladbrokes Premiership campaign this weekend at Auchenhowie yesterday.
That ill-advised marketing slogan came back to haunt the Ibrox club and then some last season as they returned to the top flight after a four year absence.
Caixinha, though, is confident his side is in the best shape since he took over as manager back in March thanks to some quality summer signings and three morale-raising pre-season friendlies.
Read more: Steven Thompson: Dons will finish second but I expect big seasons for Hibs and Killie too
The ignominious defeat to Progres Niederkorn of Luxembourg in the Europa League qualifying rounds last month may remain a painful memory.
But since then Bruno Alves, the vastly-experienced Portuguese centre half, has come in and Graham Dorrans, the Scotland international midfielder, has arrived.
Furthermore, Rangers have drawn with Marseille at home and beaten Watford and Sheffield Wednesday on their jaunt to England.
Caixinha believes the Glasgow club, who take on Motherwell at Fir Park in their opening league game on Sunday, are at least well placed to launch a credible challenge to their city rivals’ domestic dominance.
“This is the best moment since I arrived at the club with regards to the squad, the performance of the team and the momentum surrounding the team,” he said.
“It cannot be better than what I am feeling towards the team.We have a strong group of characters. When we came last season to assess the group that was one of the points we identified. We needed strong men and we have added that.
Read more: Steven Thompson: Dons will finish second but I expect big seasons for Hibs and Killie too
“When the game is so physical in Scotland for the majority of the time you need to be physical as well. It’s a game played by men. But, also, when they need to play football they can play football.”
Asked what his new-look Rangers team could achieve in the months ahead, Caixinha offered a far more sober prediction than some at the Ibrox club had long before he arrived this time last year.
“Rangers are focussed on winning the first game against Motherwell,” he said. “After that we will focus on the next game. As (Felipe) Scolari used to say when he was in charge of the Portuguese national team ‘mata, mata’. That means kill or be killed. So we will contest this game by game and in the end we will see.
“We know we are strong, we know the club we are representing and that here winning is the only option. But we need to go game by game knowing the massive club that we are representing.
“By the history and tradition of the club and the expectation of all the players, staff, board and of course the fans that we have, we all have those expectations to return the club to the place it deserves and we are going to work in that direction, but only on a game by game basis.”
Rangers have had two bids for Hearts winger Jamie Walker turned down by their Tynecastle rivals this summer.
Read more: Steven Thompson: Dons will finish second but I expect big seasons for Hibs and Killie too
Jon Daly, the former Ibrox striker who has taken charge at the Gorgie club on a temporary basis following the sacking of Ian Cathro, suggested yesterday the winger had been distracted by their interest.
Caixinha, who has brought in nine new faces during the close season, declined to talk about an individual who is still under contract at Hearts, but he admitted he was keen to strengthen his squad further.
“I’m not going to talk about players from other clubs,” he said. “It’s not my responsibility. We know what we want. We’ve had our squad design since the beginning and we still have almost the entire month in front of us to do it or not. It depends on the market, but we are in the market.”
Centre half Rob Kiernan departed Rangers for English League One club Southend United yesterday and midfielder Harry Forrester, who has been told he is surplus to requirements, is also poised to move on.
“We have a number in the squad that we need to work with so if some players are going to come in then others will have to get out,” he said.
Caixinha will be without both Niko Kranjcar and James Tavernier for the meeting with Motherwell this weekend.
“They have short-term injuries,” said Caixinha. “James has a foot injury and Niko a hip injury. Let’s see if we can count on them for the midweek game (in the Betfred Cup) against Dunfermline.”
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