More than cash needed to convince Mcinnes
Dons boss refuses to rule himself out of Rangers job but stability key to his future
Derek Mcinnes has refused to rule himself out of a move to Rangers as Pedro Caixinha’s replacement but, as Sunderland found out earlier this year, any possible deal would certainly be down to more than just money.
The Aberdeen manager is odds-on favourite with the bookmakers to return to the club where he won two trophies as a player during five years at Ibrox, but you would be hard pushed to read much into the poker face he presented to the press yesterday.
The obvious question received the expected answer but significantly Mcinnes once again stressed just how much he values the stable working relationship enjoyed with Pittodrie chairman Stewart Milne.
It was that rather than the considerably higher salary on offer that was the deciding factor when Mcinnes rejected the opportunity to replace David Moyes as Sunderland manager in the summer.
A look at the current English Championship league table proves what sound judgment that turned to be considering managers in that division seem to enjoy a lifespan akin to that of a mayfly.
The Dons would be due around £1.5 million in compensation if Rangers do want Mcinnes and his assistant Tony Docherty as the pair were put on lucrative new deals that expire in 2020 after electing to stay put in June.
However, the Ibrox club’s first task if they are serious about luring Mcinnes back to Glasgow would be to convince him the board were a lot more stable and reliable than their recent behaviour would suggest.
In the meantime Mcinnes said: “I have never been drawn into speculation in the past and I’m not going to be drawn into it now.
“I’ve been used to speculation here in the past when I’ve supposedly been linked with other clubs a couple of times and with Rangers. It is what it is, I’ve been used to it in my time here.
“My job is at Aberdeen and I’ve stated often enough how happy I am here and nothing has changed on that.
“I am probably luckier than most because I have that stability and relationship with the chairman.
“He has had the experience he has here and thankfully the majority of the time I’ve been here has been good. Having
that relationship and confidence with your chairman is vitally important.
“But I am only focused on us getting back to winning ways after the other night and [today’s] Ross County game. It’s no distraction, the players were in after the Celtic game [which Aberdeen lost 3-0] and we’re looking for a reaction to that game.
“It was a sore one for us but I have been encouraged by the way they have gone about their work.”
Mcinnes admits he does have sympathy for Caixinha.
“It’s always sad to see a manager lose his job,” he said. “There is a solidarity between all managers. We are not even out October and over a third of the Premiership have changed managers already. That shows how fickle the job is, regardless of what club is involved.”