PEDRO Caixinha said he didn’t fear for his future and pleaded with Rangers fans to stick by him after being subjected to abuse in the stands following last night’s 1-1 Ladbrokes Premiership draw against Kilmarnock.
Leading by virtue of a first-half Jason Holt goal, the Ibrox side were standing over a last-minute penalty before they self-destructed in spectacular fashion – Ryan Jack being sent off for a headbutt on Kirk Broadfoot, Daniel Candeias seeing his penalty saved by Jamie MacDonald and then Chris Burke sliding in the injury time equaliser.
It all means that the Ibrox side drop to fourth but Caixinha – who watched the match from the directors’ box alongside Dave King as he served a one-match touchline ban – said he was more disappointed than anybody.
Asked if he was concerned about his future in the role, Caixinha said: “No, I’m just worried about getting down to work in the morning to do my very best. I am still the right man for the job.
“What can I say to the fans?” he added. “I say to them that they are the most loyal fans in the world. They don’t deserve to pass through this situation. As I’ve told you all the time we work for them and I’m more disappointed for them. Because besides being the Rangers manager I’m also a Rangers fan. I’m blue inside.
“When I come to represent one club I represent it with everything that I have to give. With my passion, my knowledge and my work. As you see I’m double disappointed as I’m a fan and the manager at the same time. But I’m strong enough to take this thing forward and always look to put things into the right place.”
Caixinha refused to point the finger at Jack, who has been sent off twice this season previously, albeit with one rescinded, and said he felt in general his players had tried to show a good reaction to their BetFred Cup semi-final defeat. They also lost Graham Dorrans to a foot injury in the first half.
“I’d need to check it,” said Caixinha. “Once I see what really happened I will have the chance to discuss it with the player and come to my own conclusions and decisions with regards to that.
“We have to analyse the game overall and we asked the boys to show a good reaction. The boys tried to do that, especially in the first half. We had to make the change with Graham Dorrans after that, the midfield and our arrival in the box was totally different. It took us a little while to get used to the dynamics on the wings but we had a few chances.
"We had another chance with Eduardo Herrera at the start of the second half but we after that we couldn't control the game. If you aren't playing well, you at least need to do that.
"There were a few mistakes that led to Kilmarnock getting in the game again. They got more confident but then we thought everything was finished and done with the penalty. But football is sometimes very cruel. That's how it was. It's not everyday you win a penalty, miss a penalty and then lose a goal.”
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