A controversial firebrand - Mexican journalist speaks on Pedro Caixinha's tactics, personality and more

To get some more background on Pedro Caixinha, we spoke to Rafael Hernandez, who writes for SB Nation's Mexican football blog, FMF State of Mind.

GTBFO: First of all, why was Caixinha considered so controversial in Mexico?

RH: Because of his nature, Caixinha was a very honest guy and confrontational. He sometimes had problems with the press but he had a LOT of run-ins with other oaches. He accused referees of cheating him and he had fights with coaches like Miguel Herrera and Antonio Mohammed, but the big one was with Tomas Boy in a match that Santos won anyway.

GTBFO: Rangers have been playing a possession-focused style for the past two years, but the team have been pretty poor in both boxes and it hasn't been getting results. Caixinha's style seems quite different - how is he likely to set us up?

RH: At least in Mexico, Caixinha always talked about being attack-minded, but Mexico is quite like that by default. So while he wasn't lying, he didn't really stand out for that, and was actually accused by some people of being quite defensive. His team relied on a tall striker, Djaniny Tavares, and Javier Orozco and Andres Renteria on the wings. Tavares was a striker but was fast and had great ball control too - the team really benefited from having guys who could control the ball in all poositions. I don't know he'll do that in Scotland - that's the norm in Mexico, and he adapted to it.

GTBFO: Rangers have a pretty incredible youth team right now, but a lot of them are very young. Do you think he's likely to make use of them?

RH: He did give youngsters opportunities at Santos, and his team was young overall. But again, it was the norm for Mexico - the team is even younger now, actually, with a coach who isn't known for it. If Rangers have good youngsters, they'll get chances, though - he wasn't a stumbling block for them.

GTBFO: Rangers managers often struggle to deal with the huge weight of expectation. Do you think he'll cope with the pressure?

RH: It could be a problem. He had run-ins with the press and referees a lot to shift blame from bad performances. He came in with high expectations because José Mourinho recommended him to Santos. He did a good job but he was a firebrand and quit all of a sudden. Santos is a big club in Mexico but it's not one of the most pressure-filled environments. I don't know why he quit, really, unless he really was burned out as he said.

GTBFO: Finally, is he the type of coach you'd put in charge of such a rebuild? And is he the type of manager who commands respect from his players?

RH: Caixinha had a great reputation among his players - they said he was knowledgeable and managed the club well. But European coaches are rare in Mexico, and the situation in Scotland might not be the same. He understood the local culture, and clicked with fans and players because of stuff like being a bullfighter. Scotland might not be the same, but that doesn't mean to say players and fans won't respond to him.

Santos were a big club, but they had been sold and didn't have very much money. They haven't been very successful since he left, either. If he clicks, he should be capable of it. But that's if his controversial ways don't land him in trouble.

Thanks to Rafael Hernandez for talking to us. You can follow him on Twitter here.