Rangers manager Derek McInnes has revealed he told Hearts boss Wouter Vrancken he is "fortunate to have such a good squad" during a heated touchline exchange at Tynecastle. McInnes also reminded the Belgian that he has those players because McInnes left for Rangers last summer.
The match ended 1-1 after Olwethu Makhanya rescued a point for Rangers in the closing stages, with Hearts having dominated much of the contest. It was McInnes's first return to Gorgie since leaving the club, and he received criticism from the home crowd throughout the game.
Return to Tynecastle
Speaking to Sky Sports about the tense night, McInnes said: "Good, in the sense that I was looking forward to the game. I was just wanting to get out there and get the game played. It was a game that I expected to be tough on the pitch, and that's all that mattered for me."
He added: "I said what I wanted to say yesterday and I have such an affection for this club, and how it served me. I am proud of the work we did here. You see the level of player that Hearts have here, but my concern is Rangers. It's all business tonight."
Exchange at full-time
McInnes admitted he was disappointed with his side's performance, saying: "I am just disappointed we never performed better for longer, because if we did we could have been going home with all three points rather than just the one."
Pressed on the exchange during the handshake, McInnes said: "I was just telling him how fortunate he is to have such a good squad that I left him. All good, it was all good."
Vrancken offered his side of the story, admitting he had questioned how "genuine" the embrace from McInnes was at full-time. He said: "It has to be a genuine handshake amongst colleagues for me. Win, draw or lose at the end, everybody fights for his own team, works hard for his own team in their way of working. It's normal and how it has to be. But at the end it has to be a genuine handshake. I don't think it was, but afterwards we spoke so it's okay."
