Sky Sports pundit Charlie Nicholas believes that Rangers must hand a significant transfer kitty to incoming new manager Derek McInnes to improve a “pretty average” team.
As reported by the Scottish Sun, McInnes is expected to be appointed as Rangers manager sometime on Thursday after overnight talks with Dons chairman Stewart Milne.
This brings to an end weeks of speculation linking the 46-year-old to the job after the sacking of Pedro Caixinha at Ibrox.
Nicholas however believes that Rangers’ delay in approaching Aberdeen for McInnes has left him isolated from supporters.
Speaking to Premier League Daily, as quoted by Sky Sports, Nicholas said: “It was a matter of time before McInnes left Aberdeen. He almost left to go to Sunderland last summer. He stayed on at Aberdeen because he didn’t think that was the right timing for him.
“It’s been a bit of a mess for both clubs. Rangers have waited so long to finally move into a position where they are going to pay compensation for him and his No 2. That’s fine but why does it take so long?Then Aberdeen just leave it dangling. If you are headhunted and Rangers want you, Rangers should have made a move. Have they been building up funds where they can suddenly make the payments? It’s left him isolated.
“Rangers are a bigger club, [although] they are not in a good, healthy financial position at the moment. It will make Aberdeen weaker and Rangers stronger. Other than that, he needs funds to address a team that is pretty average.”
OPINION
Nicholas is spot on. Rangers delay has left McInnes caught in between the two clubs for too long now, meaning he is neither here nor there. Aberdeen fans are not sure how to feel about him. On one hand, they appreciate what he has done for the club, on the other they don’t like him leaving for Rangers. Rangers fans are unsure what to think either. They obviously want him in but have been waiting for so long for the move to be made. Anyhow, once the appointment is made this can all be slowly forgotten and Scottish football can move on from what has, quite frankly, been an unnecessary saga.