THE MAIN EVENT

McInnes going to Ibrox after turning down the manager’s job, Murty out to prove his worth, a host of new faces and a battle raging for second place in the Premiership. Seconds out, it’s...

CRAMMED with more subplots than a ten-part series on Netflix, the main event at Ibrox tomorrow evening demands attention. Forget any idea of Rangers or Aberdeen easing themselves into the second half of the Premiership season.

A first visit to Govan for Derek McInnes since last month’s rejection of the job subsequently taken by Graeme Murty provides an obvious attraction. Add to that the possibility of four Rangers debuts following a busy January window to date. And the two clubs being separated by only three points in the contest for second place.

On and off the pitch, there are numerous factors ready to further sharpen the edge of a rivalry that is already abrasive. For both clubs, there is a clear opportunity to lay down an important marker for the remainder of the campaign.

Bluntly, this is the kind of fixture former Rangers midfielder Alex Rae would have relished in his combative prime. While dismissive of flak from the Ibrox crowd getting to McInnes, Rae also recognises the significance for those in the technical areas.

Murty recorded back-to-back victories over McInnes when speculation over the Aberdeen manager being lured to Ibrox was reaching a crescendo. Making it three in a row could only aid the former Scotland defender’s chances of remaining at the helm beyond the end of the season.

‘If you listen to the Aberdeen side of things, they might say the off-field stuff and the speculation had a bearing on those past two results against Rangers,’ said Rae (below).

‘This is an opportunity for Derek and the Aberdeen players to show how they have progressed from that period. Derek will be looking to extend the lead over Rangers, which would send out its own message.

‘He won’t be fazed in the slightest by anything at Ibrox. He has been round the block a few times now. The circumstances dictate that an element of the crowd will not be too happy about what happened (when he turned down the Rangers job), but I think most folk just want to go and see their team win the game. ‘For Rangers, if they can get the win, it would draw them level on points. It could be the catalyst to show that second position will be attainable and really fuel belief on the back of the new additions. ‘It is a brilliant game to come back into the mix. It can really set the tone for both teams to go and attack the second half of the season with some sort of run.’ While continuity is the key for McInnes, Murty has spent the past few weeks trying to reshape the squad left behind by Pedro Caixinha’s botched tenure. Rae was always sceptical of the expensive influx of overseas players Caixinha oversaw in the summer, questioning how quickly and effectively they could adapt to Scottish football. Returning to safer markets has been the key for Murty in his work alongside director of football Mark Allen.

Loan deals for Russell Martin, Jamie Murphy, Jason Cummings and Sean Goss have increased the core of British talent at Ibrox, while the club remain in negotiations for Hamilton midfielder Greg Docherty.

‘I’ve been relatively impressed by Rangers’ business this month,’ admitted Rae. ‘The summer window was disappointing. They splashed a lot of money but a number of these guys could be heading out before the end of January.

‘It’s been a case of trying to get the balance of the squad right. Martin is a really good acquisition. Even if you didn’t know him as an individual, you could see he is a model professional from the way he has conducted himself over the years.

‘I’ve always liked Murphy. He is heading into an experienced part of his career now and has learned how to play several positions. You tend to get the best out of people at this age, because they are settled down a bit in life.

‘Cummings is one of those where you are not sure what you are going to get because he has not really performed at the top level. But I do see a few similarities with Leigh Griffiths at that age, when he was at Livingston and Dundee.

‘On and off the park, they court attention because of their personality. It’s just about whether he can kick on and score at a higher level.

‘But if he can get up and running early doors, the deal can be another good piece of business.

‘Goss comes in as a cultured midfielder, not so much a box-tobox type, so it will be fascinating to see how they all settle in.

‘I wouldn’t be surprised if Rangers brought one or two more in because it looks like potentially Bruno Alves and Eduardo Herrera might go. I’d imagine if they could get rid of Dalcio then they would let him go, too.

‘Before the winter break, it struck me that Rangers didn’t have a great deal of strength in depth. They needed bodies but they had to get quality.

‘Mark Allen coming in has been important. He has put the building blocks in place, but creating a recruitment system doesn’t happen overnight.

‘Hindsight is a wonderful thing but you look back now at the money Pedro spent in the summer and you think: “Oh dear”. But if there is no structure in place, how do you protect yourself against taking a punt on these guys? Unfortunately, it will be a costly one.’

The postponement of Sunday’s Scottish Cup tie in Fraserburgh removed the chance for Rangers to enjoy a competitive warm-up. Their new arrivals will instead be given an instant submersion in a demanding Ibrox assignment.

Rae added: ‘Aberdeen will be pleased to have got a game at the weekend (defeating St Mirren 4-1), so it is about how quickly Rangers can hit the ground running on the night.’