BARRY FERGUSON, the former Rangers captain, will be interviewed next week about the possibility of him returning to Ibrox as part of Pedro Caxinha’s coaching set-up.
The Herald understands Ferguson is the favourite of some if not all of the club’s powers-that be to become the “local” the Portuguese wants to hire to help him become familiar with his new surroundings.
Caixinha, who will meet Dave King in Glasgow next week, all-but confirmed the 39-year-old who recently left Clyde and won 15 major trophies with Rangers was one of the leading candidates.
Asked directly whether he would interview Ferguson, Caixinha said: “Maybe. He’s maybe one of the names on the list. I am telling you I already have the list but we are still assessing the names. It would not be polite for me to say who is on it and who isn’t.”
Caixinha then outlined what he was looking for and someone such as Ferguson does tick a lot of the boxes.
He said: “We are assessing right now. We already have one list of possible candidates, I am already preparing all the points I will need to make in the interviews. It will then be a question of assessing and next week we will start and finish the process.
“The first thing we want from the coaching staff is loyalty. If I trust one guy I need to trust him 100 per cent, not a guy who, if I turn away, I don’t know what is going to happen. Loyalty is the first thing.
“The second thing is about knowledge. I don’t need a guy to come here and just stand at the side, watches everything, maybe puts out some cones, perhaps says something in the dressing room. I don’t want that type.
“I want a guy who has the competence to be here, has the knowledges to be here, and someone who will challenge himself and me.
“The last point is spirit and mission. I can recall a lot of coaches who would arrive an hour before the training session and would leave five minutes after it was over. We would be here three hours before and maybe leave eight hours after that. We need these qualities.
“Also, we need him to be the link between inside and out. Someone who has a good relationship with the club, is a good image within the club, and of course can help us learn more about Scottish football.”
Kenny Miller would also be in the running but the striker wants to concentrate on the remaining years of his playing career.
The 37-year-old said: "There has not been any chat with regards to that. It is something that, in the future, will definitely be for me. At the moment, my sole focus is on being a player and being a player here next year. I have got two and a half months left on my contract. I want to be here next year and I want to be here as a player."
One of the most important aspects in the downfall of Mark Warburton was his almost non-existent relationship with King.
Caixinha is determined to foster a close bond with the chairman and the two will meet when the South African-based King makes a rare trip to Scotland.
The manager said: “I had the pleasure to call the chairman on the phone. He invited me. We spoke about some viewpoints, about the welcome I got and the relationship we want to create.
"We are going to have dinner next Wednesday and, for sure, we will have time to talk face-to-face in a one-to-one situation about all the points I think we share for the future of the club. This will be an important relationship. I’m a guy who is all about relationships.”
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