Ryan Jack has no hard feelings over Derek McInnes stripping him of the Aberdeen captaincy amid his controversial move to Rangers in 2017. Instead, the former Gers midfielder believes the way McInnes handled the situation proves he will succeed as the new Ibrox boss.
Jack, who grew up a Rangers fan, left Aberdeen for the Light Blues on a Bosman transfer, sparking fury among Dons supporters and stunning McInnes. Nine years later, McInnes himself has made a similar move, leaving Hearts to join his boyhood club Rangers.
McInnes' handling of Jack's exit
Jack recalled the tense period leading up to the 2017 Scottish Cup final against Celtic. McInnes removed the captaincy from Jack, fearing the distraction of the Rangers move. But Jack insists McInnes acted to protect him, the club, and himself.
“I’ve spoke to Derek a number of times. We’re still quite close and have kept in touch down the years,” Jack told Record Sport. “Even when I moved to Rangers and he was still at Aberdeen, we were in touch. Our relationship could have gone either way with that whole episode.”
McInnes did not freeze Jack out, recognizing his importance to the team. Jack played in the final, though Aberdeen lost 2-1 to Celtic, completing the Hoops' Invincible Treble.
Why McInnes will succeed at Rangers
Jack highlighted McInnes' communication skills and leadership as key to his success. “The main thing that always stood out for me was Del’s communication skills. He was always very clear when he addressed the squad,” Jack said. “Del had this ability to cut to the heart of the matter and get his point across.”
McInnes made Jack captain at Aberdeen when he was just 22, despite uncertainty over his future. “He called me in and said, ‘Look, I want to build a team around you, you’re going to be my main player, I want to make you the captain.’ It made me feel 10 feet tall,” Jack recalled.
Jack believes McInnes will quickly build team spirit at Rangers, as he did at Aberdeen, where they won the League Cup in his first season in 2014. “He’s not going to get too caught up on the modern day things... He’s more of a figurehead, someone who can bring all the departments together,” Jack added.
