THE importance of a mere football match, even one which will have a huge bearing on his future as Rangers manager, was put into firm perspective for Pedro Caixinha earlier this week as he viewed the horrifying scenes of devastation in Mexico City on television with both alarm and concern.
Caixinha spent two seasons in the North American nation in charge of Santos Laguna and his thoughts immediately switched from the game this weekend to the safety of former colleagues and old friends following the massive earthquake in the capital Mexico City on Tuesday.
He was relieved when they, as well as the families of his players Eduardo Herrera and Carlos Pena, reported back to him that they were safe and well and was only too happy to lend his support to the Unicef Mexico Earthquake Appeal yesterday.
“The first thing I did after I heard the news was send a message to the Santos president Alejandro (Irarragorri),” he said after helping his summer signings Herrera and Pena hand over a £1,000 cheque to the appeal from the Rangers Charity Foundation at Auchenhowie yesterday.
“He lives in Mexico City and he said everything was okay. Our players have family, but they are also okay. So we sent them messages to make sure everything is okay and fortunately no-one that I know was involved in that.
“Everything is okay with Hererra’s family and close friends and it’s the same with Pena. When this sort of catastrophe happens a football game is nothing, right.”
Yet, Caixinha knows full well that to Rangers supporters the outcome of the Old Firm game against Celtic is, metaphorically speaking at least, life or death.
He is also well aware that, having presided over two woeful displays in the Glasgow derby match after taking over last season, his side coming out on top, or even just not slumping to the sort of heavy defeat they did against their city rivals on the last occasion they met, at Ibrox tomorrow afternoon is vital to his prospects of remaining in his position.
But if the Portuguese coach was feeling the pressure as he looked ahead to the Ladbrokes Premiership match this weekend then it did not show. Indeed, he cut a relaxed figure as he performed his media duties. He appears comfortable with the intense scrutiny he is under and the huge demands for success which exist among the support after six months in the role.
Asked if he was enjoying being Rangers manager despite the pressures it placed on him professionally and personally, he said: “Totally. I am the type of person where if I am not enjoying something or living it I cannot do it. I am all in or I am all out. I cannot live in the middle. So I can say that I am enjoying managing Rangers totally and I am definitely all in.
“It’s a fantastic job, a fantastic club, fantastic fans, a fantastic football team, fantastic players, fantastic staff, I am enjoying it. It is fun from 6am till 6pm every day.”
Caixinha had spent spells as a coach, assistant and manager in Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Greece, Romania, Mexico and Qatar before arriving in Glasgow earlier this year so had encountered most things in the game.
One aspect of life in Scotland, though, has surprised him. “I asked the bank for a card for my wife and I am still waiting three weeks later,” he said.
Competing with a Celtic side which has been able to buy more expensive players and can spend more on their wages is not easy at a club where, despite the off-field difficulties they have been dogged by, second best in never considered acceptable.
Caixinha, though, is happy to play a part in the ongoing revival of Rangers and is dedicated to helping them catch their age-old adversaries.
“I think we’re all aware we are here and five seasons ago the club was in League Two,” he said. “In these five seasons the club has invested and has increased that investment. As Bill Struth once said ‘we welcome the chase’. But the chasing we are doing is to get the club back to where it has to be.”
“So that’s the only thing we can do. Always thinking positively and always thinking that we can do our very best to win the game.”
Caixinha, who is among the first to arrive in at Auchenhowie in the morning and the last to leave at night, can certainly not be accused of not being totally dedicated to his job.
“My life in football is 24 hours, less the time I spend with my family,” he said. “The time I spend with my family I want to be quality time, so if I can give them two hours a day that is perfect.
“After the Hamilton game we have the international break and we have three days off so I will be delighted to enjoy it with them. It just needs to be all in on the right moment, 24 hours, minus the family.”
“This game is important because everyone loves these great matches, these big matches, Old Firm matches. But we know if they get they three points the difference will be eight-points, if we draw everything stays like it is and if we win we move two points from them.”
Asked what a victory over Celtic would mean to him, he said: “Maybe instead of one glass of red I will take two.”
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