THIS afternoon’s Old Firm derby will be like an assault on the senses for Pedro Caixinha. By the end of what will likely be a draining, pulsating 90 minutes he will either be enthused like never before for the job that lies ahead of him at Rangers, or wondering just what he has let himself in for. Either way, it will be an introduction to Scottish football at its most raw and visceral. Once you’ve been to Parkhead as the manager of Rangers, everything else ought to feel tame in comparison.

The size of the challenge will also be laid bare to him even before he has even officially started in the post. Should the match unfold as many expect and Celtic run out fairly comfortable winners, Caixinha may begin to wonder just how on earth he is meant to bridge that ever-widening chasm that exists between the two clubs. He may arrive at the logical conclusion that it makes little rational sense for Celtic, with their vastly superior budget, to be considered the benchmark to which Rangers, in their current shrivelled financial state, ought to aspire. He will then find a chorus of Glaswegian voices quickly telling him that this is just how it is whether he likes it or not.

He will appreciate that the players he is about to inherit will be tested at a level this afternoon far greater than anything they will face for most of the remainder of the season. He will, however, still get glimpses of their character in adversity. He will see which of his squad has the heart for the fight, and which let their heads go down. He may see flashes of creativity, and moments of bravery. All will be stored away to be processed at a later date.

Taking over at a new club at such a late stage of any season is never easy but also has the positive effect of simplifying the short-term objectives. After today’s game Rangers will have 10 league matches left in which to try to close the gap on second-placed Aberdeen. In truth, it won’t make any discernible difference whether they manage that or not – both sides will still enter the Europa League qualifiers in the first round – but it would send out a message to their rivals, and bolster his standing within the Rangers support, if he could summon up such a late-season revival.

The Scottish Cup semi-final is, of course, Rangers’ most significant fixture for the remainder of the season. Beating Celtic at Hampden won’t make everything better – ask Mark Warburton about that – but stopping their city rivals’ bid for a first treble in 16 years would earn him enormous goodwill, as well as strengthening Rangers’ chances of a first major honour since 2011. A cup win after only two-and-a-half months in the job would be some achievement, although either Hibernian or Aberdeen would be no pushovers in the final.

He will also discover first-hand today how much football means to people in Scotland, while perhaps being a touch bemused by their apparent fascination with religion, issues of constitutional sovereignty, and 17th century Irish history. He may also gaze in wonder at the quantities of alcohol people can seemingly drink before midday on a Sunday. Perhaps he will find the whole experience intimidating or unpleasant but that seems unlikely. Having coached in places as diverse as Mexico, Qatar, Greece and Romania he will know football can do strange things to normally rational people and that day-to-day life is usually better off for that.

He will gradually gather a clearer picture of his squad and the surgery he will need to undertake in the summer. Of course, he must first await word of just who the new director of football will be who will be responsible for making such changes happen. If Rangers gained plaudits for a willingness to adopt a different hierarchical structure, then they undid some of that enlightened thinking by putting the cart before the horse. Whoever ends up as sporting director will inherit a head coach they did not appoint and must hope Caixinha is a man with similar thinking to his own. With few contracts set to expire in the summer, either the director of football will need to work his magic – with pay-offs that don’t break the bank – or Caixinha will need to work his by making underperforming players raise their standards.

He will surely have received assurances from chairman Dave King and the rest of the board that investment in the playing squad will be forthcoming. How much is required and how it ought to be spent is a different matter. Realistically, barring external investment from heavyweight sources, there is no prospect of the gap to Celtic being bridged over the next few years. If Rangers have learned any lessons from the past, it is that boom and bust is not an option. Ensuring second place and building something sustainable ought to be the priorities, even if Caixinha, as head coach, may wish for shorter-term solutions. He will have a better feel for the job following this afternoon’s frenzy at Celtic Park. It will be a day he is unlikely to forget in a hurry.