Bruno Alves expects Pedro Caixinha will lead Rangers to success

Rangers centre-back Bruno Alves ahead of this weekend's Betfred Cup semi-final clash with Motherwell. Picture: SNS

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Pedro Caixinha’s new-look team dropped points in four of their opening seven Ladbrokes Premiership matches before scoring seven goals in their subsequent two wins.

Alves expects further improvement and appreciates how important it is to secure a Betfred Cup final place when Rangers take on Motherwell on Sunday.

But the Portugal international was non-committal when asked whether Rangers needed to win a trophy for this season to be viewed a success.

The summer signing said: “Of course we want to win everything but it takes time to know what the coach wants from the team, to put the plan into the game, and everyone being in the best shape to understand the game.

“So I think this will take some time but we have been working very hard since the beginning of the season. We are training and playing to win in the end.

“We expect the coach will lead us to victory. In football you have coaches, and coaches who make you win.

“For me, it’s been a good journey. Of course I expect more, I expect more wins, but I know it will come in time because we have the right players and the right coach.”

Alves has won league titles in Portugal, Russia and Turkey as well as Euro 2016 with his country, and silverware was very much in his mind when he swapped Serie A for Scotland when moving from Cagliari on a two-year deal.

“I had some experience of playing against Rangers before and Celtic also, and I believe that I made the right decision,” the 35-year-old said. “It’s a good experience for myself and my career.

“And I bring experience with me that I can try to give to my team-mates, and try to win. In the end that’s the most important thing - to win titles. It’s also why I came here, because I am closer to winning titles.

“It’s important for everybody, firstly for the players and the coach, that we are working so much and for the fans and the club. It means a lot to everybody. We are going to do our best to be in the final.

“It’s important because it’s a title and the club and the fans need this. It’s important for us players, because they support us all the time, that we give something for them too.

“They are with us all the time and we want to give some happiness to the fans.”

Alves was speaking at the Betfred Cup semi-final captain’s media conference in the absence of the injured Lee Wallace, having taken on the mantle following his return from a calf injury which forced him to miss September’s defeat by Celtic.

On getting the armband, Alves said: “It’s special, because I know what this means, how big this club is. And to trust me is important. It’s a big step in my career.”