Derek McInnes faces immense pressure as the new manager of Rangers, a situation underscored by the club's history of rapid managerial turnover and stringent expectations. Graeme Souness, a legendary figure for Rangers as both player and manager, highlighted that finishing second in Scotland is considered a failure at Ibrox, a stark contrast to many other major European leagues.
Souness, who managed Rangers from 1986 to 1991, winning five league titles and three European Cups, recalled the unprecedented pressure he felt when taking the player-manager role at 33. He noted that while McInnes has a deep understanding of Scottish football and the club from his playing days, the intensity at Rangers is a different order of magnitude. "You don’t get a job in football management because it’s going well. That’s rare," Souness commented, referencing the state of the team when managers typically take over.
He pointed out that Rangers have had six managers in as many years, illustrating the club's struggle to find sustained success. Souness also touched upon the importance of recruitment in modern football management. He expressed a degree of reservation about the contemporary trend where managers may have limited say in player acquisitions but are ultimately held responsible for results. "I’m a dinosaur because I couldn’t work under the modern way that most clubs seem to do where someone else is responsible for the most important part of the job at a football club — and that’s recruitment," Souness stated. He believes that getting recruitment right is paramount, otherwise, managerial changes become frequent.
The squad's leadership has also been a point of discussion. Souness cautiously offered his thoughts on Lawrence Shankland, the new captain and a boyhood supporter, suggesting that while Shankland appeared to be a steady character in a past encounter, the true test will be performing under the spotlight at Rangers. "Unless you’ve been to Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Liverpool or Man United then you’re going to be tested like you’ve never been tested before," Souness advised.
Since their financial difficulties in 2012, Rangers' trophy cabinet has seen limited additions, with only one league title, one Scottish Cup, and one League Cup. Souness emphasized that regardless of club structure, performance on the pitch is what matters most. He concluded by promoting Premier Sports' coverage of Scottish football, including over 80 matches from the Scottish Premiership, Premier Sports Cup, and Scottish Cup. A season of football is available for £99 using the promo code FITBA26.