Rangers interim manager Graeme Murty had to Google Pedro Caixinha
Friday 10 March 2017 20:41, UK
Rangers' interim manager Graeme Murty has admitted he had to Google incoming boss Pedro Caixinha.
Rangers have been given permission from the Qatar-based Al-Gharafa to speak to the Portuguese manager and he could now be appointed ahead of Sunday's Old Firm derby with Celtic - live on Sky Sports.
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Murty is likely to remain in charge for the match though, with Caixinha watching from the stands, and the caretaker boss admitted he had to do some background research on the new arrival's managerial record.
"I think everyone in Glasgow has googled it," said Murty. "We've had a look, I had a look at numerous people. You can't actually control any of it.
"I've got something fairly large on Sunday to consider. I'm merely here to make sure the players have the detail on Celtic, have the detail on the occasion."
Celtic sit 33 points ahead of Rangers in the league and have already beaten their Old Firm rivals three times this season - including a 5-1 thrashing in September last year.
Former Celtic forward Frank McAvennie suggested the league leaders could have a record eight-goal haul against Rangers in their sights this weekend, while another former Parkhead striker, Andy Walker, labelled the Ibrox players "timid" and questioned their heart and leadership.
However, Murty claims the comments have merely taken care of his pre-match team talk in the dressing room.
"It's easy for me, I just show them everything that's been written about them," he said.
"They have been written off and Celtic are fantastic and we're going to get an absolute doing.
"I don't actually have to motivate them. I just say to them: 'This is what the world thinks about you, you can either listen to the noise or you can be really, really close together and go and show them what we're about'.
"Thankfully, you have all done my job for me."
Murty believes his players are tired of hearing jibes against them and warned they could spring a surprise on Brendan Rodgers' runaway leaders on Sunday.
"I think they are getting a little bit sick of it," he said. "I spoke earlier about people not knowing full details, not knowing the personalities within the group as well as we do, and making predictions and making assertions about them.
"They should be very careful because hopefully we can use that negativity and flip it round on them and come out of here with a real positive for the football club. That's what I said to the players.
"The players have taken it for so long, and accepted it, fine. They have got a really good opportunity to do something about it on Sunday."
