PEDRO CAIXINHA believes Jonatan Johansson will be a cool and clinical presence in the Rangers coaching team.

The Finn took to the training field at Murray Park yesterday in what was his maiden day as first team coach under the Portuguese after he beat off the likes of Alex Rae, Kevin Thomson and Peter Lovenkrands for the post.

There are appears to be many aspects of Johansson’s CV which made him attractive to the Ibrox manager during the recruitment process. From his playing exploits at Rangers, his coaching experience at Motherwell to his experience of life in general in Scotland.

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Yet Caixinha has touted the ice cool Johansson to be just the man to cool the Latin spice which is now bubbling away on the Rangers touchline thanks to the new manager and his Portuguese assistant Helder Baptista.

“We tried to field three major points and it wasn’t an easy decision. First of all to have a Rangers past,” he said. “The second point was to know the Scottish reality of football. The third which was also important and made all the difference to directly get in our dynamic, our process and our methodology.

“Jonatan was elected with no disregards for all the others because for me it was a tough decision, and I really appreciate all the time and contact I had with all the other guys. But we chose Jonatan, we believe in Jonatan.

“He arrived yesterday and will be starting with us today. He will be one more assistant to add to our work because he’s a quality guy, he’s a hard worker, he’s a clever guy and if you join two types of bloods to make the balance in one technical stuff, it’s very important.

“We have the Latin guys who have strong blood, strong passion, maybe you need a little bit of ice from the north to put it in and calm down things from time to time.

“I think it is going to be a very interesting mixture.”

As already mentioned, several Rangers former players were interviewed for the post. Even more also applied with names like Nacho Novo, Barry Ferguson and John Brown just a few who were touted for the role of Caixinha’s ‘local’ assistant.

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“We had a fantastic list of candidates. And it was really a pleasure,” the Ibrox manager told Rangers TV. “I wouldn’t call it an interview but sharing with them regarding football. All of them different experiences and knowledge. Different names, even legends from the club which was really important.

“I just met him when he came for the interview like all the others.

“It was more regarding those three points. From the past I didn’t know it that much, the knowledge of the Scottish football I know it from information I took from him and also his CV.

“I know he was living here for a long time. Of course the information regarding the process, dynamics, philosophies of football that we are putting into practice we take it along the interview process.”

Johansson of course arrived in Glasgow with some international experience which may well have swung the odds in his favour when Caixinha was pondering his shortlist. In order to fulfil the role at Murray Park he had to quit as No.2 to the Finnish national team, a role he has carried out since December 2016 under Markku Kanerva.

It is a familiarity with great responsibility which clearly sits well with his new manager. Now with his backroom staff complete, you get the sense the man tasked with hauling Rangers to even within sight of Celtic is ready to utilise the skills, experience and enthusiasm of those around him to haul the Glasgow side forward.

“It’s going to be interesting to work with him. He only arrived yesterday and already I’ve given him a lot of tasks,” explained the former Al Gharafa head coach.

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“I want all the assistants to get involved to share with me the responsibility of what it really means to be managing this club. I want them to have that feeling. For sure Jonatan is going to be a hard worker like all the others.

“We will bring with us the spirit that we want to help our players because they are the main actors. We work for the club but especially for our players being better, for our team being better game by game. That’s what matters and Jonatan for sure will help us.”

Speaking of how Johansson will improve the fact-finding missions on opponents he added: “Game by game we are analysing the opponents. Of course there are opponents we know better than others. That’s quite normal.

“But we analyse it as a whole and the way we see all the moments of the game.

“Jonatan knows the players and can bring another type of real detail and attention. Not only on individual players but there relations with players or their past.”