Rangers

Pedro Caixinha: 'Rangers pre-season starts on June 5'

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter | 07 May 2017

Pedro Caixinha reveals that Rangers will begin their pre-season on Monday, June 5 ahead of the Europa League qualifiers at the end of the month.

Pedro Caixinha has confirmed that his Rangers squad's summer holidays will last a fortnight by naming Monday, June 5 as the first day of pre-season.

There had been uncertainty over when the Blues would begin their preparations for the 2017-18 campaign, with some reports suggesting that they would begin on June 1.

In explaining his close-season plans, Caixinha admitted that the schedule was far from ideal but forced upon him by needing to prepare for the Europa League qualifiers, which kick off on Thursday, June 29.

Caixinha is quoted by the Daily Mail as saying: "We will be back on June 5. It is official. We don't have time to go away, so we will stay in Scotland from the 5th until the 29th.

"We'll spend the first four days assessing and screening in terms of medicals and fitness and some major principles we want from the team. Then we will have three weeks of preparation and three matches."

The Portuguese coach also admitted that club captain Lee Wallace, who is getting married in June, will not be able to go on honeymoon with his soon-to-be wife this summer.

Caixinha added: "Lee is getting married on June 11 — the day after the Scotland game (against England in World Cup qualifying). He is going to be off that day and the day after.

"There is not going to be a honeymoon. The players need to have days off and vacations and, when possible, they will have that."

Rangers currently sit third in the Scottish Premiership table.