Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes has branded criticisms of Rangers captain James Tavernier “absolute nonsense” as he continues to be linked to the Ibrox manager’s job.
The Ibrox skipper, 31, has been the subject of huge criticisms this season with the suggestion he’s lost a yard of pace and is being targeted by opposition defenders.
But Derek McInnes has defended the Rangers captain and claims the club could use more like James Tavernier as they hunt for a new manager.
“It’s an absolute nonsense this (criticism of James Tavernier),” Derek McInnes told TNT Sports during their live broadcast of Aberdeen’s draw with HJK Helsinki.
“How much more can he do? I think they could do with a few more (leaders like him).
“He is clearly proud to be captain and there’s nothing more that he can do.”
Derek McInnes a potential Rangers manager candidate
The comments of Derek McInnes also come amid fresh links between Rangers and the Kilmarnock manager with regards the vacant Ibrox role.
According to the Daily Record, Rangers hope to speak to Derek McInnes in the coming week and the former Ibrox midfielder is undoubtedly an interesting option.
McInnes knows the Scottish Premiership and with Rangers weak in the face of the domestic challenge the coach would add genuine bite back to our lacklustre charges.
Speaking about the Rangers team and the situation with Michael Beale, Derek McInnes claims that all is not said and done this season in the title challenge against Celtic.
The coach has also criticised the club’s recruitment in the summer.
“Since those heady days of a European final, winning the Scottish Cup, you have to question maybe a lot of the recruitment and obviously managers live and die by that — the recruitment,” Derek McInnes said.
“They lost a lot of key players and players that maybe for a long, long period of time maybe people felt had to be moved on but, there was a lot of optimism in the summer.
“I think Michael came in, he obviously knew a lot of the players from previously working with Steven.
“And when he came in he obviously tried to put his stamp on it.
“Michael’s obviously been much-heralded for his coaching ability – nobody’s questioning that – and probably Monday to Friday a lot of what he was probably seeing wasn’t transferring onto the pitch on a Saturday.
“And he’s probably more frustrated with that than anybody.
“So, going back, losing confidence, losing a bit of cohesion, for a manager you’ve got to have three key relationships to survive anything.
“Key relationship with your fans, your players and your board – that’s the most important – and if you lose any of those – and certainly if you lose all of them – there’s only one outcome.
“And I do think there was maybe a lack of belief coming from the stands — even this early on in the season.
“It was kind of ‘Here we go again, we’re going to lose the league to Celtic again’. It’s still early on in the season that Rangers can maybe address that.
“Obviously, they’ve done that and Michael loses his job, but there are still issues there that need to be addressed.”
If you ask us, Rangers could certainly do worse than Derek McInnes as the club’s new manager as we look to salvage our season.
