Gordon Smith: Rangers boss Pedro Caixinha’s Jose Mourinho-esque jibes just don’t wash

DISRESPECTFUL it may be, but Pedro Caixinha’s war of words with his peers has brought a touch of Jose Mourinho-style intrigue to the end of Premiership campaign.

The two Portuguese are friends and the early signs suggest the new Rangers manager is not averse to getting involved in some of the mind games for which Mourinho is so renowned.

How else to explain the public comment about Aberdeen being close to reaching the end of their cycle of challenging Celtic?

This, after admitting he wanted to sign the Dons skipper Ryan Jack in the summer.

Jack is out of contract next month, and therefore free to talk to interested clubs so Caixinha is doing nothing wrong.

Combined, though, the two statements can be perceived as meddlesome. It was no surprise to hear Derek McInnes bite back when snapping that the Light Blues boss’s job was to finish in front of Celtic – not Aberdeen.

Another theory came to light after the clubs clashed at Ibrox last Wednesday night when Caixinha told his opposite number he was not welcome in his office for a post-match drink.

His reasoning was that he himself had been snubbed at Pittodrie last month. Something strongly denied by McInnes, who said he had been carrying out his mandatory media duties.

Pedro is, as he says, a foreigner in our game and as such is having to adapt himself to a new football culture.

In such circumstances, being snubbed by a peer could indeed be upsetting and something to be used against the other at a future point.

However, a couple of things make me think he just likes to stir things up a bit, à la Mourinho.

Firstly when people find themselves in a new job environment the normal way is to ease themselves in gently, until they are very familiar with the set-up.

That hasn’t been Caixinha’s way at all. He has been lively, opinionated and not afraid to court controversy.

I was likewise struck by the contradiction in his recent statement that the leaks from Ibrox to the press had to stop.

Then, the next thing we know, we have Pedro himself revealing stuff which goes on plenty but usually stays behind closed doors.

As entertaining as it is for those who follow the game from outside, and love to hear about bad feeling between high-profile figures, it has clearly been rankling with some on the inside.

We saw an example of that irritation among the rank and file I believe, when Neil Lennon, working as television pundit for BT, said he felt the new Rangers boss had been “average” to say the least.

Also that he should feel “embarrassed” about finishing behind an Aberdeen side put together on a lesser budget.

His warning that Hibs would themselves be aiming at second place next season was also a reminder that fresh challenges await the Rangers figurehead next term.

Third place in 2016-17, after a bit of fight, might be just about acceptable for a side which has just come up and changed the manager in mid-season.

Next year, rest assured, it will be nowhere.