PEDRO Caixinha last night hit back at Brendan Rodgers's comments about the amount of money Rangers have spent this summer - and insisted be won’t be distracted by mind games ahead of the Celtic match tomorrow.
Rodgers pointed out last week that his opposite number had lavished more on new players during the summer than he had and was clearly intent on winning the Ladbrokes Premiership this season due to that outlay.
But Caixinha, who has spent nearly £9 million on the likes of Daniel Candeias, Eduardo Herrera, Alfredo Morelos and Carlos Pena, believes his rival still has a far more expensive squad at his disposal.
The Portuguese coach stressed that he was unfazed by the remarks ahead of the first meeting between the city rivals at Ibrox this season.
“How much did he invest in his first season here?” said Caixinha. “You might want to have a look at the numbers. Or if you want you can add the two seasons – the previous one and this one - and afterwards draw your own conclusions.
“I don’t need to answer to what he said, what he thinks or whatever. I just need to focus on my team and my club.
“Because I arrived when last season was already on, I don’t know the investment by Celtic at the beginning of the season when he arrived. But if you compare it then you’ll have your answer and the own answer to his question. It is not my concern.
“I am the manager. I’m the guy that is directly related with football affairs, now along with Mark (director of football Allen), and I think we are going to do it very well together because when you share the same vision and ideas it’s much more easy.
“I’m not worrying about the wages bill or the fees. But once again I invite you to do your investigation and place the numbers out, then people can conclude for themselves."
Asked whether he thought Rodgers was attempting to play mind games with him ahead of the first Old Firm match of the 2017/18 campaign, he said: “Whether it’s mind games depends on with whom you are playing these games.
“It’s only mind games when you say something thinking that you are going to have one answer or what you are saying is going to affect other decisions or choices.
“But it does not affect me. It is not my concern, I just want to help to take the club on the right direction to get back to the position where it needs to be, which the club is doing gradually over the last five seasons.
“One thing I need to agree with is that money brings quality, not only in football. If I have money I can go to one store and buy the best products, and normally the best products are more expensive than the others. That’s the law of the market.
“But I don’t want to discuss budgets or what’s more or less expensive. I’m just here to discuss a football match which we are totally focussed on winning.
“That’s what really matters to me. I’m not concerned on what the others say, if the others have more money or if the others want to put more pressure on me by saying we have more investment so we are also contenders.
“I know that they are the ones who won the treble, they are the ones who are leading the league so maybe with the bookies they should be the favourites. Let them think like that.”
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