Ibrox job a âreal honourâ for boyhood supporter as switch from Tynecastle confirmed
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Derek McInnes has revealed it was the right time for him to join Rangers after being confirmed as the club's new manager on a three-year contract.
The 54-year-old completes his move from Hearts and replaces Danny Rohl, who has left Ibrox after only eight months in charge to take over at Red Bull Salzburg in Austria.
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McInnes is a boyhood Rangers supporter and played for them between 1995 and 2000. He previously turned down the opportunity to manage the club in 2017 while at Aberdeen but has accepted the offer at the second time of asking after leading Hearts to a runners-up finish in the Scottish Premiership last season.
Assistant coaches Alan Archibald and Paul Sheerin have followed him from Tynecastle while Craig Clark, who he worked with at Kilmarnock, has also joined his staff at Ibrox. A six-figure compensation package has been agreed between the two clubs.
McInnes told his new clubâs website: âIt is a real honour to become the manager of Rangers Football Club.
âIt is no secret that I grew up a Rangers supporter, and I am convinced this is the right time to take on this prestigious role given the clubâs structure and leadership from Andrew (Cavenagh, chairman), the board, and Jim (Gillespie, chief executive).
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âThe 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. 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.â
Rangers chairman: âMcInnes exactly what this club needsâ
McInnes came within minutes of leading Hearts to a first league title in 66 years before two late goals in a 3-1 defeat by Celtic on the final day of the season saw the Parkhead side crowned champions for a fifth consecutive year. He will now be tasked with bringing success back to a Rangers side that ended last season without a trophy after finishing third in the table.
Rangers chairman, Andrew Cavenagh, believes they have got the right man. âI am delighted to welcome Derek to Rangers,â the American said. âHe is someone we have always rated highly, and we believe he is exactly what this club needs at this moment in time. 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.â
Rangers chief executive officer, Jim Gillespie, is a long-term admirer of McInnes. He added: âDerek understands what this club stands for, and the standards required to succeed here. We are very pleased that we were able to get Derek in position prior to pre-season training beginning. With Derek's addition to the team, we will continue to drive forward to make this club win consistently."
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Hearts issued a statement confirming McInnes departure, insisting that the club strategy extends âbeyond any one individualâ and that the search for a replacement is already underway.
"Heart of Midlothian can confirm that Derek McInnes has left his position as Head Coach to join Rangers," the statement read.
"Derek made it clear that he wished to pursue this opportunity and, following discussions between the clubs, Rangers met the requested compensation terms required to facilitate his departure, along with his assistants Alan Archibald and Paul Sheerin.
"Derek, Alan and Paul leave with our thanks for the contribution they made during their time at Tynecastle. Last season represented an important step forward for the club and they played a valued role in that progress.
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"The clubâs ambitions, direction and commitment to success remain unchanged. Our progress has been driven by a clear strategy, significant investment, and strong foundations that extend far beyond any one individual. Those foundations remain firmly in place and provide the platform for the next phase of our development.
"Succession planning is a continuous process and preparations for this eventuality have already been undertaken. A number of candidates have been identified and the process of appointing a new Head Coach has already begun, with the aim of making the right appointment as swiftly as possible.
"This remains an exciting period for Heart of Midlothian. The club is in a strong position, and we are focused on building on the progress achieved to date. We are committed to appointing a Head Coach who can drive further improvement, and help deliver the success our supporters expect and deserve.
"Everyone at Heart of Midlothian remains fully focused on the work ahead and on ensuring the club is in the strongest possible position to achieve its long-term ambitions. There will be no further comment until a new appointment has been made."
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Derek McInnes has revealed it was the right time for him to join Rangers after being confirmed as the club's new manager on a three-year contract.
The 54-year-old completes his move from Hearts and replaces Danny Rohl, who has left Ibrox after only eight months in charge to take over at Red Bull Salzburg in Austria.
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McInnes is a boyhood Rangers supporter and played for them between 1995 and 2000. He previously turned down the opportunity to manage the club in 2017 while at Aberdeen but has accepted the offer at the second time of asking after leading Hearts to a runners-up finish in the Scottish Premiership last season.
Assistant coaches Alan Archibald and Paul Sheerin have followed him from Tynecastle while Craig Clark, who he worked with at Kilmarnock, has also joined his staff at Ibrox. A six-figure compensation package has been agreed between the two clubs.
McInnes told his new clubâs website: âIt is a real honour to become the manager of Rangers Football Club.
âIt is no secret that I grew up a Rangers supporter, and I am convinced this is the right time to take on this prestigious role given the clubâs structure and leadership from Andrew (Cavenagh, chairman), the board, and Jim (Gillespie, chief executive).
Advertisement
Hide Ad
Advertisement
Hide Ad
âThe 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. 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.â
Rangers chairman: âMcInnes exactly what this club needsâ
McInnes came within minutes of leading Hearts to a first league title in 66 years before two late goals in a 3-1 defeat by Celtic on the final day of the season saw the Parkhead side crowned champions for a fifth consecutive year. He will now be tasked with bringing success back to a Rangers side that ended last season without a trophy after finishing third in the table.
Rangers chairman, Andrew Cavenagh, believes they have got the right man. âI am delighted to welcome Derek to Rangers,â the American said. âHe is someone we have always rated highly, and we believe he is exactly what this club needs at this moment in time. 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.â
Rangers chief executive officer, Jim Gillespie, is a long-term admirer of McInnes. He added: âDerek understands what this club stands for, and the standards required to succeed here. We are very pleased that we were able to get Derek in position prior to pre-season training beginning. With Derek's addition to the team, we will continue to drive forward to make this club win consistently."
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Hearts issued a statement confirming McInnes departure, insisting that the club strategy extends âbeyond any one individualâ and that the search for a replacement is already underway.
"Heart of Midlothian can confirm that Derek McInnes has left his position as Head Coach to join Rangers," the statement read.
"Derek made it clear that he wished to pursue this opportunity and, following discussions between the clubs, Rangers met the requested compensation terms required to facilitate his departure, along with his assistants Alan Archibald and Paul Sheerin.
"Derek, Alan and Paul leave with our thanks for the contribution they made during their time at Tynecastle. Last season represented an important step forward for the club and they played a valued role in that progress.
Advertisement
Hide Ad
Advertisement
Hide Ad
"The clubâs ambitions, direction and commitment to success remain unchanged. Our progress has been driven by a clear strategy, significant investment, and strong foundations that extend far beyond any one individual. Those foundations remain firmly in place and provide the platform for the next phase of our development.
"Succession planning is a continuous process and preparations for this eventuality have already been undertaken. A number of candidates have been identified and the process of appointing a new Head Coach has already begun, with the aim of making the right appointment as swiftly as possible.
"This remains an exciting period for Heart of Midlothian. The club is in a strong position, and we are focused on building on the progress achieved to date. We are committed to appointing a Head Coach who can drive further improvement, and help deliver the success our supporters expect and deserve.
"Everyone at Heart of Midlothian remains fully focused on the work ahead and on ensuring the club is in the strongest possible position to achieve its long-term ambitions. There will be no further comment until a new appointment has been made."
