O’Neill and Celtic have little to worry about, as McInnes’ mediocrity arrives at Ibrox. Who Hearts appoint is what interests me…
Del boy heads to Ibrox to start living the dream...
Eric Knott 
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MAY 16: Hearts Head Coach Derek McInnes during a William Hill Premiership match between Celtic and Heart of Midlothian at Celtic Park, on May 16, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Paul Devlin/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Yesterday, the news filtered through that Danny Röhl was on his way out of Ibrox to manage RB Salzburg, much to the delight of the majority of Ibrox fans.
Not long after, the news came through that Derek McInnes would be the man to replace him.
When Fabrizio Romano confirms it, you know it’s happening…
🚨🏴 Rangers have agreed deal to appoint Derek McInnes as new head coach. 🔵⚪️
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 13, 2026
Formal steps to follow but deal done. pic.twitter.com/mPGDJRqRW2
Once again, to the delight of the Peepul.
Finally, a ‘real Raynjurz’ man has arrived at Ibrox.
A man who ‘gets it’ and detests Celtic on top of it.
A man who played for the dead club, and gets what it takes to win trophies at Ibrox.
One wonders if he’ll ditch the all black ensemble, and don the club blazer, tie, and brown brogues?
This is a match made in heaven.
There’s only one small problem here.
Derek McInnes just isn’t a great football manager.
He does not do well under pressure, which he proved categorically last season, when he shat the bed with Hearts and conceded the title to us on the last day of the season.
His siege mentality might go down a treat at Ibrox while they’re winning, but if he loses games?
Different story.
A man who struggles with pressure has just taken a job at Scotland’s football pressure cooker.
McInnes, as I have pointed out many times before, also has a glass ceiling.
He is not a serial winner.
He does not have a track record of winning trophies.
Anywhere.
He has one major trophy to his name.
The 2014 League Cup win with Aberdeen.
After that?
Zilch. Zero. Nada.
I guess he does fit in with the recent culture at Ibrox of hiring coaches who have won next to nothing in the game.
Beale, Martin, Röhl, and now Del boy.
But hey, he’s a ‘real Raynjurz’ man and he gets it.
He understands the kulture, and he’s one of theym.
Do Celtic and Martin O’Neill have much to worry about with his appointment?
Well, I guess that’s dependent on how much the board supports Martin this summer.
Being the sceptics we are as Celtic fans, right now, our confidence levels in that particular endeavour aren’t exactly sky high.
All the usual suspects are saying there’s a long summer there, don’t panic yet.
That’s worked well for us in the past, hasn’t it?
So we’ll see…
In the meantime, the movement between our two main challengers now becomes a big point of interest.
But it’s what Hearts do that interests me more.
Recently, on the Trinity Tims podcast, I said that Tony Bloom would be looking to replace Derek McInnes because McInnes had hit his glass ceiling at Tynecastle.
Coming second was the pinnacle for him there.
The same as it was at Aberdeen.
I doubt, though, that Bloom and the rest of the Hearts hierarchy expected it would come about as easily as this.
Note how they didn’t fight tooth and nail to retain him?
Note how there isn’t even a story in the media about Hearts’ reaction to this?
There isn’t even a mention of who Hearts will consider to replace McInnes.
I know it’s early days, but if Hearts really valued McInnes’ services, don’t you think there would be a big story in the SMSM somewhere covering that?
There is a story in the Sun from yesterday which touches on a compensation package being agreed, but that’s about it.
This tells you that Hearts see this good business, and a smart move.
The door is now open for them to hire a new manager, in a much easier fashion than they thought it would be.
Someone who Tony Bloom feels can continue to work with Jamestown Analytics, and who also has the ability to take Hearts to the next level.
This is the space that I’ll be watching closely.
I know exactly what the Ibrox side are getting in McInnes, and it doesn’t concern me in the slightest.
He is going to fit in perfectly with their mission to fill their squad with a core of Scottish born players.
This was the plan they’ve had all along, McInnes is the ideal candidate to drive that for them.
I believe that the Ibrox pressure cooker is going to eat McInnes up and spit him out.
Hearts, on the other hand, are a different story.
Tony Bloom will not want last season to be seen as a flash in the pan.
He has the opportunity to hire a serious manager now.
Someone who he believes will take the fight to Martin O’Neill.
Oh, McInnes will be there or there abouts, but when the chips are down, that’s when he’ll succumb to the pressure.
Bloom now knows he has an opening to exact real change in the Scottish game.
To really split the Glasgow duopoly, and finally, maybe even break it completely?
Make no mistake, over at Ibrox, McInnes will be backed.
Players who perform well in the World Cup will be watched closely by the Ibrox club.
Expect moves to be made for the likes of Kenny McLean, Lewis Ferguson, and Oli McBurney, who are all ‘real Raynjurs’ men.
Although McBurney didn’t make the World Cup squad, he’s been on the Ibrox radar for quite a while now.
But the mission to make the core of the Ibrox squad Scottish will be in full swing over the summer.
Celtic have two choices here.
We can stand still, like we always do, and allow the reality that almost hit us last season to hit us with a bang next season.
Signs on it, we are playing the same stupid games when it comes to negotiating deals with people.
The Fotheringham/Maloney stories throughout the week confirm that much.
The rumours going around that Efrain Juarez may become Martin O’Neill’s no.2 suggest that contracts for Fotheringham and Maloney have not been sorted out as yet.
If at all.
The transfer window officially opens tomorrow.
Are we bracing ourselves for another summer of mediocrity, ineptitude, and short-termism?
Or will these men ‘who bleed Celtic’ finally step up to the plate and deliver?
I won’t hold my breath.
But what I do understand is that our two closest rivals will be gearing up to mount a serious title challenge.
If they can’t see that, or they don’t understand that, then they’re not fit for purpose.
But we’ve known that for a long time now.
If only they knew it.
If only they would do the decent thing and step aside.
Sadly, I expect another summer of the usual misery we’re subjected to every summer.
Set zero expectations, and you won’t be disappointed.
Anything after that is a bonus…
Key Takeaways
- Derek McInnes replaces Danny Röhl at Ibrox, pleasing many fans but raising concerns about his managerial skills.
- McInnes’s history shows he struggles under pressure and lacks a significant track record of trophies.
- Hearts view McInnes’s departure as a good business move, opening opportunities for new management.
- Celtic fans question their board’s summer plans, anticipating a lack of decisive action while rivals prepare for a title challenge.
- Celtic must address their strategy or risk another frustrating season, while Ibrox aims to build a Scottish core.
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Bhoycie 
Aodhán Ó Conchobhair 
The problem every season for celtic fc is celtic fc , the only way we will lose is if we repeat last seasons transfer windows and don’t spend the required amount of money , so stop giving them your money or you are complicit
It was most probably McInnes belting out the ‘Billy Boys ‘ in front of kids that made theRangers decide he may be their guy ? It’s certainly not for his winning prowess ..is it ! Of course it’s all speculation and conjecture ..as per with the scoops especially those who were overlooked for a World Cup freebie and jolly ! The song of the Summer in wee Scotland for 300+ years is never far from Ibrox stadium at any given time ..even the newly discovered rats in the old crumbling Govanlandia ground last season know the bigotry song off by heart .
Agree again with che. Where is the changes needed , where is the signings that’s going to be badly needed . Regardless of how great Oneil is this board won’t back him to what’s needed . Nowhere near .
Again Rangers go and do what they have to do. We still can’t or won’t pay 2 guys that helped us win the double. If sevco had our money they would blow us away
If Hearts finish above them again next season , they’ll look like the biggest mugs ever
So their media lapdogs will be going after the new Hearts guy from day one using every dirty trick in the book
Che spot on as he is every time. Good article Eric, but the duopoly only exists in the fevered imaginations of our hacks and civic Scotland fan boys.
We will do more of the same, it wasn’t a mistake, it was deliberate policy, and the only thing that went wrong was Martin spurring on a sub standard side to double glory. Our board and Desmond in particular, knew exactly what they were doing when they dismantled our side after the Bayern game. Selling players and bringing no replacements in, well bringing no one in really, to a side where some had reached the end of their journey with Celtic, and others awaited the signings to move us up a level, but they like us would have been sorely disappointed, then de-motivated.
Good article and assessment. I think the great benefit of Hearts challenging especially how they are doing it with Jamestown and Bloom is it exposes every fault with the Rangers and Celtic. As you say McInnes is under enormous pressure at Rangers because every time they do less well than Hearts at anything or how he did last season he can be questioned.