Derek McInnes has made it no secret over the years that one day, he would like to manage Rangers. And after being unveiled in the top seat at Ibrox nearly nine years on after rejecting Gers' approaches while he was still coaching Aberdeen, McInnes insists now is the 'right time' to finally fulfill his lifetime ambition.
The Light Blues moved quickly to secure the Hearts boss after Danny Rohl opted to join RB Salzburg in Austria less than 250 days into his tenure. McInnes made 52 appearances in five years at Ibrox between 1995 and 2000 during his playing days but spoke to the media today for the first time after landing his dream job. He certainly was not mincing his words about what he hopes to achieve at the club, in the short-term as well as further down the line.
Forward Looking McInnes
The new boss has made it abundantly clear what his immediate ambitions are, simply stating: "The intention is to win the title as quickly as possible." He added: "It's a very special moment for myself, my family, there's a lot of people I can think of on a day like this, but having known the club for a long time, supported the club, I'm well aware of the responsibility that being manager brings. So, I am excited to get going, I feel as though it's the right time for me and I feel I'm ready for it. I feel as if I belong here and I'm ready to get going with it and looking forward to just getting started."
McInnes emphasised the need to deliver a team that meets the demands of the club: "We want to try and deliver a team that meets the demand here. I feel as though the Rangers fans - we've won one title in 15 years - they've suffered for a long time and it's up to us to try now and play a key role in driving the standards and get a winning Rangers team on the pitch more often than not. I've got an idea of what my Rangers team needs to look like and hopefully it's something similar to what the Rangers fans want as well."
Becoming Rangers manager is something he always wanted: "The call was a surprise when it came about because obviously the manager was in place here. I was on my holiday and things kind of kicked off and it was a busy five or six days in between. Becoming Rangers manager is something I've always wanted and I feel so comfortable with the decision that was made, and being here feels right."
Why Is It Now the 'Right Time'?
McInnes' decision to turn down the chance to manage Rangers nine years ago was always going to come up. He explains that back then it was a different owner, a different set of circumstances, and even though he wanted it then, it was not the right time. Dave King failed to convince the then Aberdeen boss at the critical moment. Andrew Cavenagh and his board have now succeeded. It's clear McInnes feels everything is in place for Rangers to now challenge Celtic - and Hearts - to win the title.
He said: "I was ready for it back then (in 2017) but it was a different set of circumstances. There was a lot going on, and I was in a really enjoyable period at Aberdeen. At that time I wanted to be Rangers manager but it was a different ownership, feeling and set of circumstances when we went into talks. Today is about becoming the Rangers manager rather than looking back and I'm just delighted to be given the opportunity to be asked again."
Rohl Departure Was 'Gers Decision'
Ibrox chairman Andrew Cavenagh came out to publicly back previous manager incumbent Rohl at the end of May, giving the German his full support in the wake of Rangers' disappointing third place finish in the Premiership. Club CEO Jim Gillespie sat alongside McInnes at his unveiling and is adamant that they only let Rohl depart after deciding that McInnes was the man they wanted in the hot seat. He added: "We gave Danny our backing in May but things evolved and the decision to move him on was Rangers Football Club's decision. Danny was contracted to Rangers and had no buy-out (clause). We decided we wanted to bring Derek in and that was the motivation to let Danny go."
McInnes 'Comfortable' With Hearts Exit
The 54-year-old's decision to jump ship at Tynecastle in the weeks following the agonising defeat at Celtic Park that ended Hearts title charge at the final hurdle has upset fans in the maroon half of Edinburgh. McInnes insists the call was a difficult one to make but simply says he couldn't say no to it. He stated: "First of all, I loved my time at Hearts. We tried to make the most of what we had there and we worked with so many good people. The way the season played out was really harsh on us all and it was hard to deal with to be honest. It was hard to process and there was a lot of anger and a lot of frustration for obvious reasons. The initial part of the closed season was trying to re-sign players and try and go again, that's the only response. I did have a good time there but this opportunity came along and this wasn't one I was going to say no to. I always felt I wanted this opportunity. I think this gives me the best chance to win a bit more as it was a sobering experience leaving Celtic Park with Hearts."
Could He Raid the Jambos for Players?
Prior to his arrival, Rangers took advantage of a loophole to snap up Hearts skipper Lawrence Shankland on a free transfer. The new Ibrox boss has moved to reassure fans that there are no plans to try and sign any more players who are currently "under contract" with the Gorgie club. But with influential Jambos midfielder Cammy Devlin available as a free agent, could McInnes and Gers make a play for the Aussie star? McInnes was put on the spot about a potential Tynecastle raid by a diehard Hearts supporter among the media pack and replied: "As it stands, we are not looking to buy anyone from Hearts. I'm not saying we will not do that all the time but there have certainly been no conversations about this window. The work is already getting done for next season in terms of recruiting players. I am confident that with Jim (Gillespie), Stig (Inge Bjornebye) and the other guys that we are going to bring the best players here. It does take more than just being a good player to play for Rangers. There has to be a lot more under the bonnet to deal with that expectation. I feel that part of my job is to make the most of the current squad but also add players that can help us be successful."
