The media must start treating Pedro Caixinha with respect

When you are a foreigner or a young coach coming into Scottish football there seems to be a target on your back. We have witnessed how the media have treated Ronny Deila and recently Ian Cathro.

But if you are an outsider coming in as Rangers manager, that target on your back is much bigger – just ask Pedro Caixinha. From the off, the man has been mocked, laughed at and rounded on like some sort of animal that they are ready to slaughter. The question is why? Is it because he’s Rangers manager? Is it because he was a relative unknown or is it because he got the job ahead of two media darlings – Tommy Wright and Derek McInnes?

READ MORE: Revealed: How Manchester United expect deadline day to pan out as Jose Mourinho finalises squad

READ MORE: Virgil van Dijk will eventually win his battle to leave Southampton…but when will it happen?

Realistically we will never know the answer to that question. Maybe they want him to fail so they can fill their column inches with more stupid, childish, snide jibes while screaming: “We told you so” from the top of their lungs.

Obviously, I hope he makes them eat their words. The only way he will be able to do that is by winning football matches, of course.

However, I feel the man should be shown a lot more respect than he is currently receiving. Firstly, back in February, he made a comment about the squad he inherited from Mark Warburton being “the best.”

READ MORE: Who could Arsenal sign to replace Alexis Sanchez on transfer deadline day?

READ MORE: Pep Guardiola should be nurturing Raheem Sterling not spending more cash

Anyone with half a brain cell knew what he meant by that comment. But last week, BT pundit Chris Sutton quizzed him on it. Sutton was trying to be controversial but instead, he just came across as an arrogant, bitter man child. To Caixinha’s credit, he handled the situation with class.

Not only that interview, when he is normally in his Friday press conferences, the broadcast media ask him the most irrelevant questions. For example, in the run-up to the Hibs match, they asked him about the events at the Scottish Cup final. Why? Because the media in Scotland are more interested in stupid WWE-type story lines than talking about important issues like tactics.

READ MORE: Arsene Wenger facing nightmare Arsenal exodus on transfer deadline day

READ MORE: Tottenham offered Paris Saint-Germain duo Lucas Moura and Angel di Maria

Another example: after a defeat to Celtic in the League Cup semi last season, he went into the post-match press conference. He tried to illustrate his tactics by moving some glasses around the table. Yet again, the man was derided and ridiculed for trying to give the media some insight to what he was trying to do and where he felt it went wrong.

Would they have been so snide with the likes of Walter Smith, Jim Jeffries or even Martin O’Neill? I doubt it. In fact, absolutely not. Why? Well, you can make your own mind up.

The game often gets talked down in this country. To be honest, the media do not help. They are the first to shoot down outsiders coming in and they are the first ridicule any ideas which are not perceived as the norm. Yet they are supposed to be there to talk our game up. And they just aren’t doing that.

Frankly, the way they have treated Caixinha has been nothing short of pathetic. It’s been petty, childish and ignorant the way some have acted towards him. He deserves some decency at least. But as I alluded to earlier, the only way he may get their respect is by producing a winning team on the park.

However, as I alluded to earlier, the only way he will shut them up, is by winning on the park. If he does his bit, hopefully, their attitude towards him will change.