Derek McInnes has a gripe about the calendar. The Rangers manager says he is "not a fan" of the extended international break, which he thinks is too long, and on Thursday he explained why. His squad will only train together on Friday, the day before Kilmarnock visit Ibrox, and by then it will be 19 days since Rangers beat Celtic in the Premiership on 20 September.
Thirteen players, four games, a lot of nerves
Rangers had 13 players away on international duty after that derby win. McInnes pointed out that they were working with different staff for different federations, travelling all over the world for four games. It is hard on the players to be away from their families, he said, but for the club there is also a lot of nervousness about handing players into other countries' hands for so long.
Some are back in but not all of them are training yet. McInnes put it in blunt terms: it is longer than a lot of tournaments are for a lot of countries. He added that he knows the schedule is set in stone, which is his way of saying he is not expecting anyone to change it for him.
A run worth protecting
The break comes at an awkward moment for a side finding its feet. Rangers went into it on six straight wins, the latest two against Celtic in the League Cup and the Premiership. For McInnes, named Premiership manager of the month for September after four wins from four, it was a much-needed revival after a rocky start at Ibrox that included an exit from European competition.
He says he is under no illusions that the good form has to continue. It is the kind of line managers use when they know a run like this can disappear after a fortnight of disrupted preparation, and 19 days between games is a long time to keep momentum alive.
Lunch with Sir Alex
McInnes also revealed that he had lunch with Sir Alex Ferguson at the club's training ground. Ferguson was a regular visitor to Tynecastle last season when McInnes led Hearts' unexpected title charge, and he spent time with the staff and the manager, chewing the fat as McInnes put it. The Rangers boss said it was good to see him in person, particularly after his health scare.
The advice was about patience. Ferguson spoke about his own difficult starts at Manchester United and told McInnes it is how you finish a campaign that matters, not how you start it. He also thought Rangers were really strong in their performance at Celtic Park in particular. With Kilmarnock up next at Ibrox, McInnes will hope a full week of Ferguson's wisdom and a single day of full-squad training is enough to carry the run on.
Context: Rangers v Kilmarnock, Scottish Premiership, Ibrox, Saturday 10 October 2026. Rangers beat Celtic in the Premiership on 20 September and went into the break on six straight wins. McInnes was named Premiership manager of the month for September. Source reporting: BBC Sport Scotland.
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