Here is why I'm worried Rangers will sack Russell Martin and go for Derek McInnes
It took Hearts two years to see sense and finally go get Derek McInnes.
But I'm already beginning to worry that the people at Rangers might now be starting to wish they'd done the same.
It's been a difficult start for Russell Martin at Ibrox and just six games into the season he's already under some serious pressure from the disgruntled punters through there.
Listen, I'm a big fan of the former Southampton boss and hope he does well in Glasgow.
But this is football and we all know what happens when you fail to deliver results, especially at a club like Rangers.
And I've got to say, I'm starting to worry about what that means for Hearts when it comes to McInnes.
It was when Robbie Neilson left Tynecastle in 2023 that I first called for Ann Budge to make a move for the then Kilmarnock gaffer.
It took until this summer for the club to at last make that appointment and yeah, we're only two games in but I think there's already been some pretty compelling evidence that it was the right choice.
But, if I'm honest with myself, I just can't see him seeing out the campaign as Jambos boss.
Call me a pessimist if you want. But if Martin can't get his new-look Light Blues side firing quick, the calls for change along the M8 that are already starting to murmur will only grow louder and louder.
And at that point Gers' new American owners will be forced to act. For me, there's no-one else they can look to than Del.
Rangers and McInnes have been engaged in this on-off courtship for years. They obviously came close to partnering up in 2018 before he backed out to remain at Aberdeen but the rumours and speculation have never gone away.
And if Martin does continue to struggle, I just don't think Rangers can avoid making a move for him this time.
The club have obviously tried out a number of different bosses, each with their own styles of play and brands of leadership, in recent years without achieving much success.
But when I look at Del, I see a boss made from the same mould as Walter Smith.
He's the closest they could get to the great man in terms of leadership and aura. Along with Brendan Rodgers, I think he's the only manager currently working in Scotland who can walk into a changing room and immediately grab the attention and respect of every player.
I'll get slaughtered for saying this, but I actually think Del is bigger than Hearts - or certainly has the potential to reach a higher level.
And that's why I worry about the situation at Rangers.
He's a boyhood fan and played for the club. Having knocked them back once, would his heart really allow him to do it a second time?
But it's not only the powers that be at Ibrox who will be taking an interest in the Gorgie boss.
Steve Clarke is leading Scotland into the World Cup qualifiers next month desperate for a result.
Like Martin, the national team coach is also facing increasing scrutiny over results and performances and if things don't go well against Denmark and Belarus, it might be SFA chief exec Ian Maxwell making the call to Tynecastle.
Like the situation at Rangers, there's only one man Hampden chiefs should be thinking about if they need a new head coach.
And again, could Derek really reject the chance to manage his country? I'm not so sure.
These are all hypotheticals of course but if there's one thing you can be sure of it's that Tony Bloom and his team at Jamestown Analytics will be working through the potential outcome of every scenario.
I'm sure they will already have a succession plan in place for the day Derek departs.
But the best way to stave off any approach would be for the Hearts hierarchy to continue delivering everything McInnes asks for.
As much as I'm saying I worry about what the future will bring in terms of interest in Del, my huge hope is that Hearts can hang onto him for as long as they possibly can because already, just two weeks into the season I've seen signs that things are looking far more promising for the team.
There is a clear style of play and even a shift in the mentality, as proved by the last-gasp win at Tannadice last weekend.
And Derek does look determined to deliver here. I read his comments this week about hoping to end the club's 63-year wait for a League Cup triumph.
He was entirely right to say that is far too long for a club the size of Hearts and I like that he is making public his intention to set that right.
Mind you, it won't be easy this afternoon through in Paisley.
St Mirren has been a difficult place for Hearts to go to in recent years but I like the way we are shaping up this season and I reckon that new steeliness Derek has implemented should see us through.
In fact, a win against Saints is the only thing I'm not worried about.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
13 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Russell Martin confirms imminent Rangers exit and reveals replacement already identified
Rangers boss blunt on Igamane's hopes of starting v Brugge Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Rangers manager Russell Martin has confirmed Brazilian full-back Jefte is on the brink of leaving the club and a replacement in the form of 19-year-old Brentford defender Jayden Meghoma has already been identified. Martin was speaking after his side had overcome League One side Alloa Athletic 4-2 to seal a Premier Sports Cup quarter-final clash against Livingston or Hibs. It was more of a struggle than he would have liked, with Alloa equalising after 24 minutes through a Joe Rothwell own goal and then causing some anxiety late in the game with a second goal, from veteran former Hibs player Scott Taggart, to make it 3-2. Rangers substitute Findlay Curtis sealed matters with a fourth in time added on. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Martin now has his eyes set on Tuesday's Champions League play-off first leg against Club Brugge although he knows he won't have Jefe among his personnel options with the left-back set to join Palmeiras in his homeland. Meghoma is set to join on loan. Rangers head coach Russell Martin applauds the fans at full time after the 4-2 win over Alloa in the Premier Sports Cup. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group) | SNS Group 'Jefte was in yesterday and then by yesterday evening he is maybe not going to be here moving forward,' said Martin, with reference to the fast-moving transfer deal, reported to be worth as much as £6 million. 'It's a good deal for him and the club, so we will see what happens with that. We had to be ready to replace him, we always have been. Jayden is a player we know. He spent a year with us (at Southampton) as a young boy, training every day. He understands what it takes to be a top talent. Played for England at all the youth levels and then Brentford signed him for a lot of money (£5m) as a teenager. He went on loan to the Championship (at Preston North End) and did really well. So he is a player we know and like and hopefully at some point he will be a Rangers player and you will know that when he is.' Asked whether those fringe players who had come into the starting XI v Alloa, with Martin making ten changes, had done enough to force their way into the picture against Club Brugge, he was unsure. 'Some of them did some really good stuff - Manny (Fernandez) did some really good stuff,' he said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Obviously he scored but there are some moments we really need to work on with him, you can see all the attributes he has and the potential. Joe Rothwell in short spurts today was much more positive with the ball than he was in midweek. There's loads to come from this group. Some have taken an opportunity, some will be frustrated and will want to do a bit more.'
Scottish Sun
13 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Crystal Palace prepare for takeover battle just days after John Textor saga saw Eagles booted out of Europa League
Palace released a strong statement after their appeal was denied earlier this week TEXT MESSAGE Crystal Palace prepare for takeover battle just days after John Textor saga saw Eagles booted out of Europa League Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CRYSTAL PALACE'S new major shareholder Woody Johnson is set to be a target for a 'takeover' bid by Josh Harris. Johnson recently became Palace's biggest shareholder when he bought out John Textor's 43 per cent stake in the club — but may be willing to quickly sell that on for the right cash. 3 Woody Johnson also owns the New York Jets Credit: Getty 3 Josh Harris owns 18 per cent of Crystal Palace Credit: Alamy The 78-year-old American has yet to go public on his plans at Palace and may have got involved to help compatriot Textor, who needed out of Selhurst Park because of multi-club ownership issues. Harris already owns 18 per cent of Palace and is keen to extend his influence at the club. Steve Parish currently calls the shots at Selhurst despite having a ten per cent stake. A snag for Harris would be that adding Johnson's shares to his own would go against Palace rules. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL BACK ONSIDE Andy Carroll says he is back with Lou Teasdale after split & vows to cut booze No individual is currently allowed to own more than 50 per cent — unless Palace vote to change that. On Monday, Palace lost their appeal to be reinstated into the Europa League. The Eagles subsequently released a strong statement, which began: "At a time when we should be celebrating our victory in the Community Shield at Wembley, the decision by UEFA and followed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport shows that sporting merit is rendered meaningless. "When we won the FA Cup against Manchester City on that momentous day in May, our manager and players earned the right to play Europa League football. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK "We have been denied that opportunity. "It appears that certain clubs, organisations and individuals have a unique privilege and power. How Chelsea could line up in Crystal Palace clash after summer transfer splurge and two-week long pre-season "This growing and unhealthy influence has shattered the hopes and dreams of Crystal Palace supporters, and does not bode well for aspirational teams all over Europe competing to progress when rules and sanctions are unevenly applied in the most flagrant way. "Multi-club structures hide behind the charade of a 'blind trust' while clubs such as ours, who have no connection to another club whatsoever, are prevented from playing in the same competition. "To compound the injustice, clubs that appear to have huge informal arrangements with each other are also allowed to participate and even possibly play against each other."
Daily Mail
13 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Rangers 4 Alloa 2: There's no case for the defence as hosts stumble into next round of Premier Sports Cup
There was warm applause around Ibrox at the end. No drama. No catcalls. But, my goodness, only the most myopic of Rangers supporters could have failed to see the red flags raised by this almighty struggle of a victory. Particularly with regard to the defence. Considering League One Alloa could barely get up the pitch in the initial stages, it is quite remarkable that this Premier Sports Cup last-16 tie was only settled right at the death when home substitute Findlay Curtis served up an excellent finish to make it 4-2. Not as remarkable, though, as the goals the home rearguard in a much-changed side gave away to keep it so competitive. Flamin' Nora. To say that Russell Martin's men continue to look wobbly at the back is a cataclysmic understatement. Right now, you could put them out against 11 training-ground dummies and the chances are they'd still find a way to concede. One-up through Nedim Bajrami, the concession of an equaliser through a Joe Rothwell own goal midway through the first half was just bonkers. A calamity of errors verging on straight-out slapstick. After an effort from Manny Fernandez and a James Tavernier penalty had created a false sense of security among the home support, the Scott Taggart goal that made it 3-2 was just so easily conceded. More fuel to the argument that defending against set-pieces is a real Achilles heel within this team. It was like taking candy off a baby. So, yes, Rangers are through. They got the job done in the end, but it wasn't pretty. As for anyone forcing their way into the starting XI for Tuesday night's Champions League play-off first leg with Club Brugge? Hmmm, don't bet on it. Nasser Djiga was the only survivor of the midweek visit to Viktoria Plzen, but no one really stood out. Mikey Moore made his debut on the left wing and showed some nice touches in the first half, in particular, before going off. Rothwell returned to midfield and was okay. Bajrami played a big part in the destination of the game, in the end, but only a brave man would bet on him taking a starting jersey in the big matches. Thelo Aasgaard also made his first appearance after injury and delivered one strong run that required a save from visiting keeper Liam McFarlane. With Hamza Igamane not fit enough to begin games, Rangers certainly had better hope Cyriel Dessers is back fit because you cannot possibly continue with Danilo. He was anonymous here, hasn't scored a goal in competitive action and doesn't look like scoring one. As for who plays at left-back, it certainly won't be Bailey Rice, who had a torrid time out of position. Jayden Meghoma is close to signing on loan from Brentford, but, with Jefte off to Palmeiras and Ridvan Yilmaz tipped for a return to Turkey, more competition in that area of the park will surely be required. Rangers did have the lion's share of the ball against Alloa, as you'd expect. There wasn't enough consistent aggression in their play, though. At times, it felt like they were trying to bore their opponents to death instead of blowing them away. Moore, in fairness, showed up well from the off. Within 10 minutes, he'd had three goes at goal of varying quality and played a part in setting Bajrami up for the opener. Rothwell played a forward pass from midfield, Bajrami nudged it out to Moore on the wing and he fed it back inside to the Albanian. His curling effort from outside the area was destined to hit the net all the way — eventually finishing up there off the underside of the crossbar. At that point, Alloa had barely been able to get the ball out of their own half. Then, they realised that just launching the ball and putting some remote element of pressure on this Rangers backlot is likely to bear fruit. On 24 minutes, after Steven Buchanan had tested Liam Kelly, the visitors made it 1-1 thanks to the kind of defending that could only have been made more comical had the Benny Hill theme tune been playing over the tannoy. Buchanan skinned Rice and made it to the byeline. His low shot cracked off Kelly, rebounded off his leg and fell to Luke Rankin. His shot was then blocked by the arm of Rothwell on its way to goal, but it didn't matter. There was more chaos to come. Stefan Scougall scuffed an effort goalward, Max Aarons attempted to boot it clear and succeeded only in whacking it straight off the nut of the grounded Rothwell — seeing it shoot back in the other direction and cross the goal-line. Madness, really. Thankfully for Martin, Fernandez, making his competitive debut, got Rangers back in front — and prevented the atmosphere from descending into something uncomfortable — before the half-hour. Oscar Cortes didn't do much during the game, in keeping with the rest of his Ibrox career. However, he did win a free-kick out on the right and that paved the way for Rothwell to send a quite delicious delivery into the heart of the area. Fernandez seized his moment well — with an unchallenged header from inside the area beating McFarlane all ends-up. That's when it should have become a procession, but it didn't. Kurtis Roberts tested Kelly with an ambitious effort from about 40 yards after another defensive mix-up and, after being skinned one time too many, Rice came off for Tavernier at the end of the opening 45. The goal that offered Rangers welcome breathing space after a decent start to the second period finally came via the penalty spot on 67 minutes. McFarlane parried a shot from Bajrami into the path of Cortes and it looked like the Colombian would score until Alloa substitute Cameron O'Donnell appeared from nowhere to block. It was as clear as day the ball had struck his hand, with the only surprise being that it took so long for the VAR check that led to referee Daniel McFarlane going to the pitchside monitor and giving the award. Tavernier stepped up to smash the penalty low and hard off the inside of keeper McFarlane's right hand post and that should have been that. Only it wasn't. After seeing Conor Sammon caught by Fernandez when clean through on goal after an intercepted pass from Djiga, that old problem of being unable to deal with set-pieces made for an interesting last 10 minutes. O'Donnell fired in a free-kick from the right, David Devine rose high at the back post and, when his header came off the underside of the crossbar, Taggart was waiting on the goal-line to stick it into the net. It took Curtis, not long on for Cortes, to settle the nerves seconds from the end of the regulation 90 when taking a pass from Kieran Dowell on the right of the area and placing it first-time into the net off the far post.
