Brendan Rodgers is likely breathing a sigh of relief that Rangers have yet to turn to Derek McInnes as their next manager, according to Daily Record journalist Keith Jackson.
Writing for the outlet on 11 November, Jackson described the Kilmarnock boss as the “obvious” choice for the Light Blues, citing his impressive track record against Celtic over the years.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement is already under considerable pressure at Ibrox, having fallen nine points behind Rodgers’ Celtic and Jimmy Thelin’s Aberdeen.
With speculation mounting that his tenure may soon come to an end, Jackson suggests McInnes would be the natural successor, though he notes Rangers’ delay in making such a move.
Following Kilmarnock’s spirited, albeit unsuccessful, performance in a 2-0 loss to Celtic at Rugby Park on 10 November, Jackson believes Rodgers will be privately content not to face McInnes across the city.
Jackson wrote:
“McInnes showcased once again how capable he is of rolling around in the managerial mud with the Celtic boss.
“Rodgers has said it itself – and many times – over the years. He respects McInnes for a very good reason and is probably quietly delighted that Rangers have, thus far, failed to make an appointment which seems so obvious to almost everyone else.
“If the metric for judging what makes a capable, worthy Ibrox boss is the ability to be competitive against the neighbours, then McInnes is the ultimate no-brainer when the axe finally falls on Philippe Clement and removes the Belgian from his mounting misery.
“Since the turn of the century, no other manager in this land or any other has chalked up more wins against the Parkhead club than any non-Rangers boss.”
Clement’s record in Old Firm derbies is a major concern. Five encounters have yielded zero victories, including a Scottish Cup final defeat and a humbling 3-0 loss at Parkhead on 1 September.
The latter result, which Clement attempted to downplay by pointing to a win over Ross County the previous week, only deepened the scrutiny.
By contrast, even Michael Beale managed a derby win in a dead rubber, and Giovanni van Bronckhorst famously knocked out Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic in a Scottish Cup semi-final. Neither were granted the patience Clement is currently afforded.
Ibrox News pundit Derek Ferguson suggests that another failure, particularly in the League Cup final against Celtic on 15 December, could seal Clement’s fate. Yet, the bigger question remains: would McInnes even consider stepping into the fray at Ibrox given the current turmoil?
A No-Win Situation?
Jackson appears confident that a managerial change is inevitable. However, the Ibrox board, or what remains of it, has so far shown more faith in Clement than they did in either Beale or Van Bronckhorst.
According to BBC Scotland’s Tom English, a senior Rangers figure reportedly admitted after an early-season defeat to Celtic and their Champions League failure that the club was prepared to write off the next two titles in order to stick with their current strategy, regardless of fan backlash.
If true, it suggests that Clement’s position may be safer than some think. Yet, for McInnes, the prospect of managing Rangers in such a fraught environment may not be appealing.
After three managerial sackings in as many seasons, any incoming boss would face an uphill battle to stabilise the club.
Whether Rangers finally turn to McInnes or persist with Clement, one thing is clear: the pressure at Ibrox is only set to intensify.