PEDRO CAIXINA, the Rangers manager, last night described Derek McInnes as “disrespectful” for snubbing him at Aberdeen last month as the war of words between the two showed no signings of stopping.
The Portuguese and Aberdeen managers shook hands before the 2-1 win for the visitors at Ibrox but argued during the game and at the final whistle voices were raised as Caixinha disappeared up the tunnel.
For his part, McInnes insisted the accusation was wrong and no matter what was said nothing could take away from an important win for his team,
Goals from Graeme Shinnie and Ryan Christie gave Aberdeen their first victory at Ibrox for 26 years with Martyn Waghorn replying for the home side.
When asked what happened at the end of the match, Caixinha said: “I was just saluting him and saying I didn’t understand the reason why he invited me to be received in his office and didn’t show up at the previous match.
“So I said that if you didn’t show up in the previous match, you are definitely not welcome to come to my office. It is a question of respect. If I am not being respected then, please, don’t show up. If he didn’t show up and I waited more than 15 minutes, what do you call that? What do you call that?
“I am a guy who came here to do my job. I know I am maybe the only foreigner but I have already passed through this situation in Mexico so I am used to it. But I am here to win and here to defend this club."
McInnes also said Rangers should be embarrassed at finishing third behind his own team with the financial disparity which exists between the two.
Caixinha replied: “No, Rangers need to feel very proud. Because this is a club that has travelled all the way from the bottom to the Europa League. They should be proud of what they have done along these five years."
As for the supposed bad manners at Pittodrie after the 3-0 Rangers win, McInnes said: “He’s wrong. I was doing my media duties as I normally do and there is absolutely no way I would be like that with any manager and I never will.
"Every manager is welcome in my office and I always make the point.
“It’s not something you can aim at me. He’s wrong, he’s mistaken. If he thinks that then maybe he should have said to me be before – I don’t know.
“Tony Docherty (coach) and my staff were there at the time and told me they came in, had a quick glass or red wine and shot away.
"They made their apologies for having to leave so soon. I was still doing my media work and it was no longer than any other time. I would never disrespect any manager in terms of after the game.
“Will I go into his office? I might try.”
The two did have some things to say to one another during the match.
McInnes said: "That was just about decisions. Managers and benches can get passionate on the touchline. There was a couple of calls, one or two things, and I argued with him as he did with me.”
McInnes was perplexed why Caixinha spoke so much about his own team in his pre-match press-conference, which provoked his own criticism of Rangers as a club, and the Portuguese himself.
But Caixinha said: “I am not focused on Aberdeen next season. The focus at this club is always to be number one. We don’t have a misunderstanding here. I am in this chair so I know what it means to represent this club. Many others would like to be here but they aren’t. That is the situation we need to deal with. I know what the job represents."
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