PEDRO CAIXINHA is grateful that countrymen Marco Silva and Carlos Carvalhal could answer his pre-season SOS call.

The Portuguese will line up against his compatriots at Watford and Sheffield on Wednesday as he finalises his preparations for the new Premiership campaign.

Rangers will face the Hornets in a behind closed door clash tomorrow afternoon before they make the trip to Hillsborough on Sunday for their last friendly action of the summer.

And Caixinha is pleased to have been able to call upon two of his contacts in the game as he gets set to be reunited with Silva and Carvalhal once again.

He said: “I really need to thank the both of them because it was just by the distance of one message. Are you available on these days in order for us to play a match? They said yes and I really need to pleased with that.

“I know them from different situations. Carlos is more from the academical side as me, so, for example, I have been with him with the renewal of the pro-license.

“Marco I have known since he was football director for Estoril and after that he became manager.

“So we have that knowledge, that proximity, and because we are Portuguese it’s easy for us to understand and get along.

“Beside [Jose] Mourinho, we are the other three that are working in the UK so it’s also giving that link or bound. And let me tell you I’m going to take a Portuguese wine, a red one, as a gift for them!”

Caixinha saw his side earn a 1-1 draw with French giants Marseille on Saturday as the Light Blues returned to action at Ibrox.

And now the 46-year-old is ready to put the finishing touches to his plans ahead of the top flight opener against Motherwell next month.

“Maybe in the second half I will try different things,” Caixinha told RangersTV.

“I will try a different approach, a different formation maybe, so that’s what I’m thinking for the moment.

“For Sheffield it’s more like the last rehearsal, let’s say it like that; something more similar to what we are going to face on August 6.”