Rangers: Derek McInnes says he 'belongs' at Ibrox as he vows to win Scottish Premiership as quickly as possible

24.06.2026, 18:19 skysports.com

Derek McInnes says he "belongs" at Rangers after being unveiled as the club's new manager and laid out his intention to win the Scottish Premiership as quickly as possible.

The 54-year-old admitted to be being surprised the opportunity to take over at Rangers presented itself this summer after being appointed to replace Danny Röhl, who departed to join RB Salzburg last week.

McInnes was within minutes of guiding Hearts to a Premiership title last season but makes the move back to Ibrox where he served as a player from 1995-2000 and he has insisted the time feels right for him to take the reins at the club he supported as a boy.

"It's a very special moment for myself, my family, there's a lot of people I can think of on a day like this, but having known the club for a long time, supported the club, I'm well aware of the responsibility that being manager brings," McInnes said.

"So, I am excited to get going, I feel as though it's the right time for me and I feel I'm ready for it. I feel as if I belong here and I'm ready to get going with it and looking forward to just getting started.

"We want to try and deliver a team that meets the demand here. I feel as though the Rangers fans - we've won one title in 15 years - they've suffered for a long time and it's up to us to try now and play a key role in driving the standards and get a winning Rangers team on the pitch more often than not.

"I've got an idea of what my Rangers team needs to look like and hopefully it's something similar to what the Rangers fans want as well.

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"Becoming Rangers manager is something that I always wanted to do. The call was a surprise when it came about because obviously the manager was in place here. I was on my holiday and things kind of kicked off and it was a busy five or six days in between.

"Becoming Rangers manager is something I've always wanted and I feel so comfortable with the decision that was made, and being here feels right."

McInnes is Rangers' 22nd permanent manager and their seventh appointment in eight years following a barren period of title and trophy success.

A treble winner with the club as a player, McInnes knows the expectations placed on staff on and off the pitch and insists that he is back at the club to win.

"A lot of managers have sat in this position on their first day and said they're going to do this and going to do that and it's easy to say things but it's a lot harder to get it done. There's work to be done here but we're going to do it well. The intention is to make sure that the work's already getting done for next season in terms of recruiting players

"It does take more than just being a good player to play for Rangers and deal with what's expected. There has to be a lot more under the bonnet and to deal with that expectation and I feel that part of my job and the staff's job is to try and make the most of the current squad but also add players that can help us be successful.

"I'm not kidded, I know if we don't win trophies it'll be somebody else sitting here before too long but I come here with the confidence that, with the resource we've got, with the infrastructure in place and the support I've got from the people above us, that this should be a winning Rangers team and this is a club that should be winning.

"Rangers give me the best chance to win and that's important. I know what I can bring Rangers but, equally, I know what Rangers can give me."

Hearts impressed under McInnes last term for their ability to play on the front foot and for their resilience in getting over the line in scrappy games.

By contrast, in recent years, some Rangers fans believe their side has become too passive and easy to play against domestically while enjoying some European triumphs. McInnes aims to rectify that and, while he wants Rangers to win across the board, domestic success will be a priority.

"I want us to try and impose ourselves on the opposition," he said. "I don't want teams to come here and feel comfortable and play their way into the game and all of a sudden maybe that fear factor isn't there playing against Rangers.

"We've got to make teams really struggle when they play against us, we've got to make them suffer and we've got to try and play in a manner which allows us to do that.

"We've got good players currently and we're going to bring in good players. You have to have quality to be a Rangers player but it takes a lot more than that, there has to be an identity and an intensity that is required to win games domestically.

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"We want to do well right across the board in Europe but we need to start being more relevant again winning trophies domestically and that for me is key.

"The intention is to win the title as quickly as possible."