PEDRO Caixinha has claimed he would rather have died than see his Rangers team slump to their first defeat to Partick Thistle in 24 years in a Ladbrokes Premiership game at Firhill yesterday.
Caixinha’s side came from behind against their city rivals to win 2-1 and clinch a place in the first qualifying round of the Europa League next season thanks to late goals from substitute Barrie McKay and Joe Garner.
The Portuguese coach, whose team had lost 5-1 at home to Celtic eight days earlier, made extensive changes in the second half of the game and ended up playing with four up front.
The 46-year-old, though, stressed it was vital for the Ibrox club to go all-out for victory. “Today was really important for us to show a reaction,” he said. “I think we showed it in the second half and I need to be happy with that.
“The performance was disorientated. We needed to understand what the game was needing. We kept playing it short instead of wide. We needed to be more direct. We needed to change the course of the game and we managed it.
“We took the risks, the players understood them and we were rewarded. My passion and dedication to this sport is that I would rather die trying it rather than be alive to see what happens. And that is what the players did.
“I really like the way they understood and were committed. There were a lot of moments I really felt the passion from the players. If we were not together as a group I don’t think the players would celebrate like that at the end. I don’t think so.”
McKay, who has still to accept the offer of a new contract at Ibrox and has fallen out of the Rangers first team in recent weeks, scored the equaliser just seven minutes after replacing Jason Holt.
Caixinha, who has been linked with a move for experienced Portugal centre half Bruno Alves this summer and who will tell his players who he wants to keep this week, was delighted with the winger’s contribution to the game and expressed hope he and his team mates could keep performing well.
“I am always pleased when guys bring their quality and commitment on to the pitch,” he said. “I’m very happy with Barry and all the guys who performed like Barry.
“It is a question of standards and that is what we are looking for. For me the season is not finished yet and we need to keep focused for the last three matches.”
Caixinha described Alves, who still has a year of his contract remaining at Cagliari, as “my good friend”, but refused to confirm if he was interested in the 35-year-old defender.
Garner is getting married in the summer and revealed the Rangers players’ holiday arrangements had been sorted out to their satisfaction. Caixinha had cut short their break after taking over so his side could prepare for their return to Europe.
Garner admitted he was keen to be involved in the Europa League. “I have spoken to the gaffer,” he said. “Everything is fine. I don’t think many of the lads have played in Europe before so it is going to be a challenge and something to look forward to.”
Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald, whose side had taken the lead through Kris Doolan in the first half, admitted the manner of the defeat was “brutal”. Garner netted the winner in the fourth minute of injury time. “It’s hard to take,” he said. “We thought we’d got rid of this Achilles heel of losing late goals but obviously not.”
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