Derek McInnes finally swapped the Hearts hotseat for Rangers in the biggest Scottish football move since the Ibrox club raided Tynecastle for Lawrence Shankland last month.
It has been a match in the waiting for the best part of a decade since the former Gers midfielder first turned down the job in 2017. But McInnes is now in position following Danny Rohl's exit for RB Salzburg and will go head-to-head with Martin O'Neill in the Old Firm battleground.
Hotline reactions
Denis Bruce, Bishopbriggs, said: “What a belter of a season the forthcoming one promises to be, with the two warhorses Martin O'Neill and Derek McInnes going head to head in charge of the two biggest rivals in Scotland. Derek McInnes has a point to prove that he is not the nearly man and he must still be smarting from losing the league title in the last few minutes of the season with Hearts. He will be fired up with the team he loves and a generous input of cash for new players. Martin O'Neill will be intent upon not blotting his copybook after winning the title by the skin of his teeth. Presumably Dermot Desmond will back him to the hilt with a big transfer treasure chest to bring in quality players. Prepare for a titanic struggle by both managers!”
Alan Flett emailed: “Celtic fans love to tell us that we're now Scotland's third biggest club. But we've just signed both the manager and the best player from the club you lot now call the second biggest in the land! The true meaning of lacking ambition is hiring a 74-year-old man because he's cheap and will do as he's told, rather than spending your millions on a proper manager and proper players.”
Cooper Steven, Kent, said: “I am glad to see the back of Danny Rohl. As shown by his first statement in his new position, Danny is clearly a legend in his own lunchtime. He improved things when he came in but then again we were starting from a very low level of expectation. But when it got to the games that really mattered, our ‘five cup finals’, his lack of experience was exposed. Let’s hope our boardroom inflicted mistakes are behind us and that the McInnes era will bring much needed stability with a clear road back to long term success.”
Lewis Fotheringham, Mount Ellon, added: “I am delighted Rangers finally have Derek McInnes as our manager. I have been waiting for this appointment for a decade.”
Criticism and predictions
But Charles Maxwell emailed: “If Celtic make a couple of decent signings this summer it should be a comfortable six in a row. Derek McInnes showed in the final game of last season he doesn't have a winning mentality. Now he's running away from a well-run club and a shot at the Champions League for a poisoned chalice.”
Brenda Jamieson, Edinburgh, said: “Derek McInnes gave it big at the start of last season, telling the Foundation of Hearts he'd always wanted the Hearts job, the club had a good structure in place, blah blah. He went round the pitch after every game singing the Hearts song, telling opposition fans to jog on. Then he jumps ship asap. Total hypocrite.”
Kevin Kean, Inchinnan, added: “Andrew Cavenagh and his bunch of remote controllers have had a disastrous 10 months, third in the league, the Kevin Thelwell farce, the Russell Martin farce, the loan flops and four weeks ago Danny Rohl was ‘The Man’. Well he never fought very hard to keep him. McInnes is no Messiah!”
James Kennedy, Kilsyth, said: “Rangers have appointed a man who, in eight years as a manager of Aberdeen, won one cup. In his most recent position as head coach of Hearts he only needed a win or a draw in the final game against Celtic and failed miserably. Seems to me he will be a perfect fit for Rangers and will get them back to second place if he is given time, which has not been a luxury afforded to many Rangers head coaches lately.”
World Cup chatter
Meanwhile, over the pond there's a World Cup going on. Lyndon Dykes wants his Scotland mates to become skinheads like him, England are getting carried away after cutting down Croatia and Ronaldo looks like he needs the chop after serving up a stinker as Portugal drew with Congo.
Stephen Johnstone, Ardentinny, said: “The only scalp I want to see Scotland taking is Morocco - not the players as Lyndon Dykes suggested.”
William Hutchison, Aberdeen, said: “Here we go again.. England win their first game and they are already saying they are going to win the World Cup. Give it a rest. Some other teams also won their first game.”
Alan Lough, Dunbar, said: “Portugal were worse than rubbish against Congo and as for their so called superstar Ronaldo, he moved around with all the grace and excitement of an Asda shopping trolley with a buckled wheel. Utter garbage - and that's being kind.”
