Rangers confirm Derek McInnes as new manager: How have Hearts responded?

Rangers person confirmed the assignment of Derek McInnes arsenic their caller manager connected a three-year contract.

The announcement comes conscionable hours aft the Gers bid farewell to predecessor Danny Rohl, who has made the determination to Red Bull Salzburg.

McInnes departs Hearts aft guiding the nine to 2nd spot successful the Scottish Premiership past season, 8 points up of Rangers successful third.

The 54-year-old has antecedently been touted for the Ibrox hotseat and came adjacent to taking complaint of the Glaswegian broadside successful 2017, earlier deciding to stay successful his relation astatine Aberdeen for 4 much years.

After leaving Pittodrie by communal consent successful 2021, McInnes steered Kilmarnock backmost to the apical tier astatine the archetypal attempt, earlier starring them to 4th spot and qualifying for Europe.

He past joined Hearts successful May 2025 and experienced an unforgettable play astatine the helm that yet ended successful disappointment, arsenic the Jam Tarts missed retired connected their archetypal top-flight rubric successful 60 years pursuing a final-day decision to champions Celtic.

McInnes had 3 years remaining connected his declaration astatine Hearts, but helium has decided to marque the determination from Edinburgh to Glasgow to instrumentality the reins astatine Rangers, wherever helium spent 5 years arsenic a subordinate betwixt 1995 and 2000.

McInnes appointed Rangers manager: ‘He is precisely what this nine needs’

“It is simply a existent honour to go the manager of Rangers Football Club,” McInnes told the club’s authoritative website pursuing confirmation of his appointment.

“It is nary concealed that I grew up a Rangers supporter, and I americium convinced this is the close clip to instrumentality connected this prestigious relation fixed the club’s structure, and enactment from Andrew, the Board, and Jim.

“The demands present are clear, and our supporters rightfully person precocious expectations. It is up to me, my unit and my players to conscionable those expectations, and person this nine performing arsenic it should.

“There is simply a batch of hard enactment ahead, but already the preparations person begun, and I americium looking guardant to gathering the existent squad successful the coming weeks and welcoming immoderate caller faces.”

Rangers president Andrew Cavenagh added: “I americium delighted to invited Derek to Rangers. He is idiosyncratic we person ever rated highly, and we judge helium is precisely what this nine needs astatine this infinitesimal successful time.

“His heavy Scottish and Rangers acquisition are important for us. He knows however to triumph successful this league, and helium is coming disconnected an highly beardown play with Hearts.”

Rangers CEO Jim Gillespie continued: “Derek understands what this nine stands for, and the standards required to win here.

“We are precise pleased that we were capable to get Derek successful presumption anterior to pre-season grooming beginning. With Derek's summation to the team, we volition proceed to thrust guardant to marque this nine triumph consistently."

Rangers person besides confirmed that McInnes volition beryllium joined by assistants Alan Archibald, Paul Sheerin and Craig Clark astatine Ibrox.

"Derek made it clear": Hearts contented connection successful effect to McInnes exit

Meanwhile, Hearts person released a connection explaining wherefore McInnes has decided to swap the Jam Tarts for Rangers and person issued an update connected the club’s plans moving forward.

A connection successful afloat read: “Heart of Midlothian tin corroborate that Derek McInnes has near his presumption arsenic Head Coach to articulation Rangers.

“Derek made it wide that helium wished to prosecute this accidental and, pursuing discussions betwixt the clubs, Rangers met the requested compensation presumption required to facilitate his departure, along with his assistants Alan Archibald and Paul Sheerin.

“Derek, Alan and Paul permission with our acknowledgment for the publication they made during their clip astatine Tynecastle. Last play represented an important measurement guardant for the nine and they played a valued relation successful that progress.

“The club’s ambitions, absorption and committedness to occurrence stay unchanged. Our advancement has been driven by a wide strategy, important investment, and beardown foundations that widen acold beyond immoderate 1 individual. Those foundations stay firmly successful spot and supply the level for the adjacent signifier of our development.

“Succession readying is simply a continuous process and preparations for this eventuality person already been undertaken. A fig of candidates person been identified and the process of appointing a caller Head Coach has already begun, with the purpose of making the close assignment arsenic swiftly arsenic possible.  

“This remains an breathtaking play for Heart of Midlothian. The nine is successful a beardown position, and we are focused connected gathering connected the advancement achieved to date.  We are committed to appointing a Head Coach who tin thrust further improvement, and assistance present the occurrence our supporters expect and deserve.

“Everyone astatine Heart of Midlothian remains afloat focused connected the enactment up and connected ensuring the nine is successful the strongest imaginable presumption to execute its semipermanent ambitions.

“There volition beryllium nary further remark until a caller assignment has been made.”

Dutch manager Rene Hake, formerly an adjunct nether Erik 10 Hag astatine Manchester United and nether Robin van Persie astatine Feyenoord, is presently the bookmakers’ favourite to regenerate McInnes arsenic Hearts boss.