Whenever the Rangers manager’s job becomes free, Derek McInnes is never far from the conversation.
The former Rangers midfielder is one of Scottish football’s most experienced managers and for many, Derek McInnes is one day destined to lead the Gers.
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers once branded McInnes a ‘future Rangers manager’ whilst Ally McCoist has given his backing to Del in the next Rangers manager running.
But others reckons the Ibrox ship has sailed on McInnes, who had the chance to lead his boyhood club way back in 2017.
In one of the most dramatic Scottish football moments of the modern era, here’s the story of the time Rangers and Aberdeen butted heads over the manager.
Derek McInnes, Aberdeen and the Rangers manager feud
Eight years ago Derek McInnes was in charge of Aberdeen and the former West Brom midfielder was routinely showing up Rangers.
With the Gers struggling to reassert their Scottish Premiership dominance, Mark Warburton and Pedro Caixinha had already fallen by the wayside.
Portuguese boss Caixinha had overseen one of the all-time worst results in Rangers history against Progres Niederkorn and the pressure eventually told following a home draw with Kilmarnock.
Caixinha was sacked just seven months into his Rangers reign and the Ibrox club were back to square one.
With Celtic eyeing 10IAR and Brendan Rodgers building an all-conquering Parkhead team, Rangers knew their next appointment was crucial.
Dave King & co had identified McInnes and wanted speak to the Aberdeen manager about taking the gig back in December 2017.
But with a lot of conjecture surrounding the approach, Rangers and Aberdeen went on to have a monumental fall-out which has echoed through Scottish football history.
McInnes infamously knocked Rangers back and explained, as quoted by BBC Sport, that he wasn’t ready to walk away from the job at Aberdeen.
“I had something to consider… but I feel that I wasn’t prepared to walk away just yet,” said McInnes.
“I’m really happy here as everybody knows and I wasn’t prepared to tarnish relationships I’ve built over the last wee while.
“Since the official approach was made on Tuesday, we quickly got it put to bed yesterday [Thursday].
“We want to get back to normal practice and we’ve tried to be as normal and professional as possible throughout [the speculation].”
The rejection did not go down well at Rangers, who released an infamous statement suggesting that not only had they not offered the job to McInnes, but that the Aberdeen boss was not up to the task of becoming Rangers manager.
After McInnes and Aberdeen decided it was better for the manager to stay put, Rangers responded (STV): “we endorse that position because moving to a massive club like Rangers is a big step with concomitant risk.”
Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne would later take aim at Rangers for the statement, suggesting things might’ve turned out differently had the Ibrox club conducted themselves in a better manner.
Milne slammed the Gers for a lack of accountability and for ‘casting doubt’ on the capabilities of McInnes as a manager, branding the statement ‘out of line’.
Did Walter Smith turn Derek McInnes off Rangers job?
Rangers would go on appoint rookie manager Steven Gerrard the following summer and the rest is history.
Gerrard would eventually stop 10IAR and deliver 55 for Rangers after two excruciating seasons building up a squad and club which was in disarray.
Whilst things haven’t always gone to plan for Gerrard since he left Ibrox, Stevie G has since been tipped for managerial greatness.
It took a lot of ambition, courage and self-belief for Gerrard to take Rangers on when he did and the Ibrox club might point to the scale of the task turning McInnes off.
But the current Kilmarnock manager has offered a different spin on events, suggesting legendary former Rangers manager Walter Smith warned him off the move.
Smith had previously publicly backed Derek McInnes live on Sky Sports after a clash with Hamilton at Ibrox in March 2017.
”I would like to see Derek take the opportunity to do that,” said Smith. “I had him as a player, and as a manager he has done a good job wherever he is.
“He went to Bristol and had some problems, but has come back to Aberdeen, four years there, and brought stability to the club.
“He’s adapted to what he’s got and I don’t think Rangers would go far wrong in attempting to get Derek.”
But in October 2023, the Daily Record released an article claiming that Smith had warned McInnes off the move after Rangers ‘moved the goalposts’ with regards contracts and transfer budgets.
McInnes then confirmed that all is not as it seems and, despite Smith’s comments at the time, the ex-Dons boss later suggested the late Rangers legend ‘had concerns’ about the job.
“I did have a long chat with the gaffer [in 2017],” McInnes told the Daily Mail in October 2023.
“Listen, I have a story to tell about that whole episode. It’s not the time to do it now. I felt that Walter wanted me to be the Rangers manager, but he also had his concerns for me with it.
“It was his advice and, while he left me in no doubt that it was my decision, he was involved in every step of the way there. The gaffer had an influence on most of my big decisions. And when I look back now, I wish I had spoken to him MORE to be honest.”
Rangers are in the midst of a US takeover and any decision on the club’s next manager is not expected to be made until after the buyout is completed.
Rangers are also expected to appoint a sporting director before they decide on who will be the Ibrox club’s 20th permanent manager.
