Paul Lambert says Rangers boss Pedro Caixinha should be given time

PAUL LAMBERT knows more than most the challenges facing Pedro Caixinha.

The Portuguese became Rangers manager with 10 weeks of the campaign remaining, and has had to make do with his predecessor’s squad of players.

Yet already there are serious questions over his ability to turn the club around next season.

Lambert was appointed at clubs such as Blackburn Rovers and Wolves in mid-campaign.

He kept the Ewood Park side in the Championship last season, but decided to resign when the ambition of the club’s board didn’t match his own vision.

He then took over at Molineux last November with the club in danger of going down to League One.

Lambert has kept them up, and now looks forward to preparing this summer to make them a team capable of challenging in the top half of the Championship.

He believes he needs a full season and transfer windows to implement his ideas and shape the squad the way he wants it – just like Caixinha.

So Lambert has much in common with the new Ibrox gaffer, and has urged the Gers supporters and the club’s powerbrokers to stick with him and give him at least one full season to make a significant improvement.

The former Celtic and Scotland skipper told The Sunday Post: “I was at Hampden Park last month for the Scottish Cup semi-final and it was a comfortable victory for Celtic.

“They then followed that up with a comprehensive 5-1 win at Ibrox in the League.

“As is the case in Glasgow when it comes to the Old Firm, some people have knee-jerk reactions and want to see people face the consequences of defeats.

“That’s where Pedro Caixinha has been very unfortunate because of the magnitude of losing an Old Firm game.

“But there has to be calm and a sense of realism.

“The bottom line is that Celtic are streets ahead. They are right on the button just now and the supporters are with them 100%. Brendan Rodgers and his players can do no wrong.

“So Rangers are lagging behind, and if one of the Old Firm is second or third in Scotland, it basically means you are last. There is no middle ground when it comes to Celtic and Rangers.

“But Caixinha has to be given time, and there also can’t be a fixation about what is going on at Celtic. You have to concentrate on your own club.

“I know from my own experience at Blackburn and Wolves what Caixinha will be thinking and trying to do. He has arrived at the club with two or three months of the season to go, and it’s ludicrous to expect him to have everything spot on after eight or nine training sessions or three or four games.

“You need to be given a proper pre-season to really set out your plans.

“Time to be fully organised and prepared, to bring in new faces and move other ones on.

“And for the players to properly grasp what you are looking for and what is expected from them.

“Going away for a couple of weeks with the squad and backroom staff gives you that opportunity. It’s vital to get that period away from the spotlight.

“I’m looking forward to that time with my own club, Wolves.

“I hope Caixinha is given at least two transfer windows and one full season to improve things and get closer to Celtic.

“I will make a comparison here and say to everyone to look at the difference in the Celtic team and certain individuals from now to 10 months ago when Brendan Rodgers first started working with them.

“It’s night and day. Everyone at Rangers will hope for a similar impact and level of improvement from Pedro.

“But it is not going to be easy, that’s for sure. However, you must never give up hope.”

Celtic are marching towards the Treble and victory in the Scottish Cup Final on May 27 against Aberdeen would see them sweep the domestic boards for the first time since 2001.

Lambert played a pivotal part in that success 16 years ago under Martin O’Neill, and hopes the current squad can emulate it.

He said: “I fancy Celtic to do the Treble. They pretty much look unstoppable.

“That said, Derek McInnes will have Aberdeen prepared, drilled and fired up for the final. They can’t be ruled out.

“However, Brendan has his players operating at a really high level and they are tactically very astute and clinical in the final third. It’s a decent combination.

“I hope they win because I know just how satisfying it is to make it into the club’s history books for a fabulous achievement.”