Glasgow, 07.11.2018, Ibrox Stadion, Fussball, Scottish Premiership, Glasgow Rangers Imago Images
McInnes has been officially appointed as Rangers manager, completing a long-anticipated return to the club where he spent five years as a player.
The 54-year-old left Hearts to take on what he has called a prestigious role at Ibrox, replacing Danny Rohl who departed for RB Salzburg.
Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh and chief executive Jim Gillespie moved swiftly to secure McInnes from Tynecastle after finalising Rohl’s exit.
McInnes will be joined in Govan by his Hearts assistants Alan Archibald and Paul Sheerin, while Craig Clark arrives from Kilmarnock, with all three signing three-year contracts.
The new management team faces an immediate challenge, with the first-team squad set to return for pre-season training on Monday.
McInnes played at Ibrox from 1995 to 2000 under Walter Smith and Dick Advocaat, winning two league titles and a Scottish Cup during that period.
He said: “It is a real honour to become the manager of Rangers Football Club.”
McInnes added: “The demands here are clear, and our supporters rightfully have high expectations. It is up to me, my staff and my players to meet those expectations, and have this club performing as it should.”
He also confirmed that preparations are already underway, saying: “There is a lot of hard work ahead, but already the preparations have begun, and I am looking forward to meeting the current squad in the coming weeks and welcoming some new faces.”
Rohl’s departure, along with backroom staff members Sascha Lenze and Tristan Steiner, followed a breakdown in relations with supporters after last season’s title bid collapsed.
That exit earned Rangers around £2 million in compensation, while the club paid approximately £600,000 to Hearts to secure McInnes.
Cavenagh believes the outlay is justified given that McInnes arrives with more than 800 managerial games behind him.
The club’s American owner has made reconnecting with Scottish roots a priority this summer, and the McInnes appointment forms a central part of that strategy.
The signing of Hearts skipper Lawrence Shankland alongside McInnes is also seen as part of the club’s broader effort to align more closely with its domestic identity.
McInnes began his managerial career at St Johnstone in 2007 and has since managed Bristol City, Aberdeen, Kilmarnock, and Hearts, who he nearly guided to a first title in 66 years before a final day defeat at Celtic Park.
Cavenagh said: “His deep Scottish and Rangers experience are important for us. He knows how to win in this league, and he is coming off an extremely strong season with Hearts.”
The chairman also acknowledged Rohl’s contribution, saying: “He and his staff put in a significant amount of hard work during his time in charge, which we are greatly appreciative of.”
Chief executive Gillespie added: “Derek understands what this club stands for, and the standards required to succeed here.”
Hearts said in their own statement that McInnes “made it clear that he wished to pursue this opportunity” and confirmed compensation terms were agreed before his release.
The Edinburgh club added that succession planning was already underway, with a number of candidates identified to replace McInnes as Head Coach at Tynecastle.
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