Pedro Caixinha tells Rangers players to finish season on winning note
Pedro Caixinha wants his Rangers side to finish the season with a flourish following the 2-1 Premiership win over Hearts at Ibrox.
Pedro Caixinha wants his Rangers side to finish the season with a flourish following the 2-1 Premiership win over Hearts at Ibrox.
The Light Blues have bounced back from damaging back-to-back defeats to traditional rivals Celtic with victories over Partick Thistle and the Jambos, with striker Joe Garner and winger Barrie McKay scoring in both games.
Garner headed the Gers into the lead from a Kenny Miller cross in the seventh minute before Jambos defender Prince Buaben was given a straight red card by referee Bobby Madden in the 26th minute for preventing Josh Windass going clear through on goal.
Esmael Goncalves levelled in the 51st minute following a Hearts break, but McKay restored the home side's lead two minutes later after a mistake by Jambos' debutant goalkeeper Viktor Noring.
Rangers, who clinched third place, host second-placed Aberdeen on Wednesday and finish the campaign with a trip to St Johnstone on Sunday.
Asked what he was looking for in the last week of the season, with ostensibly nothing to play for, the Portuguese coach said: “Win my friend. Win.
“It is going to be the last working week before a short period of vacation and we return again.
“The working week is ready. I am always working in advance and depending on what is going on, I make some changes after I analyse the game. But it is about winning.
“We want to finish well and until the last moment they are here and I am here, we can think only about winning.”
Caixinha also confirmed that midfielder Jon Toral will return to Arsenal from his loan spell while Gers defender Clint Hill admitted some disappointment that he had not been offered a new deal by the club.
“I will be moving on unfortunately,” said the 38-year-old.
“It has been hard on the pitch in terms of performances but it has been brilliant for me to play at this club, and to play in front of the fans has been a big highlight for me.
“Obviously you are a little bit disappointed (at no deal) because when you play at such a big club you want it to last as long as possible.
“But I have been in football long enough to know that when a new manager comes in they have different ideas, so I am just trying to enjoy every minute as if it's my last.
“I can only wish the club all the best and hopefully see them get back to the top sooner rather than later.”
Hearts head coach Ian Cathro started his managerial career with a 2-0 defeat at Ibrox last December, and despite a decent display by his side when a man short, he ended the day with just six victories in 24 games.
The 30-year-old dropped keeper Jack Hamilton and gave a debut to 26-year-old Sweden cap Noring, signed last summer after leaving Danish side Lyngby.
Noring made several fine saves but was at fault for McKay's winner, punching a James Tavernier cross high into the air then failing to gather.
Cathro said: “It was a big day for him. He was deserving of the opportunity over a period of time.
“I think he showed some qualities at times. Of course, there's the error in the cross and when you're talking about goalkeepers naturally it's always a bigger headline than the misplaced passes in the build-up.
“But, you know, he's one of our two options.
“Of course there's the disappointment of losing but there's a lot of positives things inside. We in the inside know what we're doing and how we're building and working. Today I'm even more convinced that we will be a very good team.”