Derek McInnes' imminent move from Hearts to Rangers continues to shape the news in Scotland. With Danny Rohl on his way to Red Bull Salzburg, the door opens for McInnes' return to Ibrox, where he wore the Rangers shirt between 1995 and 2000.
Tony Docherty, McInnes' former assistant at St Johnstone and Aberdeen, is in no doubt: he would be the “perfect option” for Rangers and would help resolve performance issues that cropped up at crucial moments. "It's a brilliant opportunity – if confirmed. Nothing surprises me in football. If everything goes as it seems, it's the perfect fit for Rangers," he said on the Scottish Football Podcast.
The conviction is based on the coach’s competitive profile. "Derek is extremely competitive. You saw this last year, when many thought his team would fall. By his hand and the signings he made, he remained competitive until the end. Having played for Rangers and with the affinity he has with the club, it would be a fantastic appointment", reinforced Docherty, also remembering the several seasons in which McInnes led Aberdeen to discuss titles with Brendan Rodgers' Celtic.
Critics have pointed to the mentality as an Achilles heel of the Glasgow Blues. When they reached the final stages of last season's championship, Rangers were second, one point behind Hearts and ahead of Celtic. Rohl then defined “five finals” until the end, but the team lost four and ended up distant in third place. For Docherty, McInnes' competitive “edge” could change this scenario.
Rory Loy, former Rangers and Dundee striker, sees a “perfect scenario” at Ibrox with Rohl leaving and McInnes joining. "Three or four weeks ago, some fans already wanted Rohl to leave. Receiving money for his departure and using that amount to sign Derek McInnes couldn't go better for Rangers. Above all, he brings what the club has been lacking in the last decade: mentality", he stated in the same podcast.
McInnes won the League Cup with Aberdeen in 2014 and the championship title with Kilmarnock, but his career has been marked by getting the most out of squads facing opponents with more resources. At Pittodrie he struggled with Rodgers' Celtic in finals and in the league; at Kilmarnock, he recorded victories over Glasgow's big two on the way to Europe in his second season; and at Hearts he scored the club's best ever score, losing the title in the final minutes to Martin O'Neill's Celtic, who arrive at the new season with a double (league and Scottish Cup) in their pocket.
"If McInnes was the Rangers manager going into the final stages of last season, the team wouldn't collapse. It might not win, but it would take the decision until the final day", believes Loy. Docherty, on the other hand, projects a full-steam title race if the scenario is confirmed: "If Martin O'Neill is at Celtic and Derek McInnes is at Rangers, we will have a tremendous fight for the championship. Derek's great strength is his longevity: 18 years as coach, 15 with me as an assistant — the consistency and level of success is remarkable."