New Rangers manager Derek McInnes has vowed to win the Scottish Premiership title 'as quickly as possible' and offered a transfer assurance to his former club Hearts during his first press conference at Ibrox. Speaking alongside chief executive Jim Gillespie, McInnes outlined his vision for a winning Rangers team after 15 years without a league title.
McInnes on Becoming Rangers Manager
McInnes expressed his excitement and readiness for the role. 'It's a very special moment for myself and my family,' he said. 'I feel as though it's the right time for me. I feel ready for it. I feel as if I belong here.' He acknowledged the fans' long wait for success: 'The Rangers fans, having not won a title in 15 years, have suffered for a long time. It's up to us to try now and play a key role in driving the standards and getting a winning Rangers team on the pitch more often than not.'
Departure from Hearts and Transfer Pledge
Reflecting on his short but successful spell at Hearts—where he led the team from a bottom-six finish to 80 points and club records—McInnes admitted the decision to leave was tough. 'I loved my time at Hearts,' he said. 'It's tough how it all played out, but I'm proud of the work that we all done.' When asked by a Hearts-supporting journalist if he could assure fans he wouldn't buy players from Tynecastle, McInnes responded: 'As it stands we're not looking to go and get anybody from Hearts. I'm not saying we'll not do it all the time, but we've certainly not had any conversations this window.' He confirmed that no player under contract at Hearts is currently being discussed.
Title Ambition and Style of Play
Pressed on whether he can win the league next season, McInnes was unequivocal: 'Can we? Yeah, of course we can. The intention is to go and do that.' He outlined his desired playing style: 'I want us to try and impose ourselves on opposition. I don't want teams to come here and feel comfortable... We've got to make teams really struggle when they play against us.' He emphasised the need for consistency: 'Too many draws maybe last season, and it's trying to find those answers in the game.'
CEO on Appointment and Stability
Jim Gillespie explained why McInnes was chosen over Danny Rohl, who left for Salzburg despite being backed in May. 'We decided that we wanted to bring Derek in, and that was the motivation to let Danny go,' Gillespie said. He stressed the importance of stability: 'Any successful organisation has stability embedded in it, and we aim to get stability embedded in Rangers Football Club.' Gillespie also confirmed that McInnes holds the title of manager, not head coach, as a nod to the club's history.
Backroom Staff and Recruitment Model
McInnes introduced his backroom team: Paul Sheerin, Alan Archibald, and Craig Clark. He described a collaborative recruitment process with technical director Dan Purdy and performance director Stig, but stressed he has the final say. 'Every player that we sign will come down to me, the final decision,' he said.
European Expectations and Refereeing
On Europe, McInnes recalled the memorable nights under Steven Gerrard and said: 'Rangers should be searching for that and getting as much from European campaigns as possible. But equally, we also need to be domestically relevant again.' Regarding VAR controversies from last season, he commented: 'Hopefully this year there can be less chat about VAR decisions.'
