Celtic Can Turn the Screw as Even Hugh Keevins Sees Derek McInnes Cracking Under Pressure

I don’t often agree with Hugh Keevins. In truth, I don’t often put much value on his opinions about Celtic or Scottish football.

However, even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

Keevins might just have got this one right about Derek McInnes.

The pressure is already building at Ibrox. Personally, I think McInnes is beginning to crack under it.

We’re barely into the season. Yet we’ve already seen anger, confrontation, excuses and disappointing results.

Writing in the Daily Record, Keevins described this as potentially “the biggest week of his managerial life.”

For once, Hugh, we might actually agree.

Celtic can turn the screw on Derek McInnes

Celtic have the opportunity to make McInnes’ situation considerably more uncomfortable on Sunday.

Keevins wrote: “If (and I underline if) Celtic beat Kilmarnock on Sunday prior to Rangers kicking off against Hibs at Ibrox, they would have a five-point lead.”

Think about the pressure inside Ibrox if that happens.

McInnes and his players would walk onto the pitch knowing Celtic were already five points ahead.

Suddenly, a game against Hibs becomes something they simply cannot afford to get wrong.

Keevins believes “desperation will be the dominant characteristic among the home support.”

I think he might be right.

McInnes has never experienced pressure like this before. Managing Aberdeen or Kilmarnock simply cannot replicate the relentless scrutiny that comes with his current job.

Every decision gets examined. Each dropped point becomes a crisis. One defeat can turn the atmosphere toxic.

Can McInnes handle that?

I seriously doubt it.

The pressure is already showing

We’ve already seen McInnes lose his cool.

He marched onto the pitch following the Dundee United game to confront the referee. He is now appealing the resulting touchline ban.

Then came the European defeat and another remarkable assessment from the manager.

McInnes talked about his team beating themselves. Keevins highlighted “a tendency to concede cheap goals and beat themselves”.

Perhaps the opposition beating them had something to do with it as well.

Keevins also says McInnes is being questioned over “team selection, use of substitutes and his transfer dealings.”

His assessment of the mood was brutal: “You name it, he’s not doing it properly for the Ibrox support.”

Again, I don’t often agree with Keevins.

I’m struggling to argue with him here.

McInnes’ angry wee face seems to be getting angrier with every passing setback. The pressure is rising, scrutiny is intensifying and the excuses have already started.

We’re only in August.

What happens after another defeat? How does he react if Celtic start disappearing over the horizon?

More importantly, what happens when every press conference becomes another examination of what has gone wrong?

Keevins says “results are all that matter.”

He’s right about that.

I don’t think McInnes will handle this pressure. In my opinion, we’re already seeing the first cracks.

I’ll go further.

Right now, I can’t see Derek McInnes lasting until Christmas.

Celtic can turn the screw on Sunday.

Then we might discover just how quickly those cracks become impossible to hide.