Derek McInnes has expressed frustration with the extended international break, describing it as unnecessarily prolonged and problematic for his Rangers squad. The manager's complaint comes after 13 of his players departed for international duty following the Scottish Premiership victory over Celtic on 20 September, leaving the full squad unable to train together until Friday—19 days after their derby triumph.
McInnes, who was named Premiership manager of the month for September following four consecutive wins, outlined the logistical challenges posed by the fixture calendar.
"Our players are away with different federations, working with different staff and travelling all over the world for four games,"he explained.
"It's tough for the players to be away from their families, but equally for us there is a lot of nervousness about your players going into other countries' hands for so long."
The Rangers boss highlighted the practical impact of the break on his preparation.
"They're all back in today but they're not all training. So by the time we get on to the pitch together tomorrow it'll be 19 days since the Celtic game. That's longer than a lot of tournaments for a lot of countries. I know it's set in stone - but I'm not a fan of it to be honest."
How has Rangers performed recently?
Rangers entered the international break riding a six-match winning streak, with their most recent victories coming against Celtic in both the League Cup and the Premiership. Ryan Naderi scored the decisive goal in the 1-0 Premiership win at Celtic Park, securing a significant result for the Ibrox side. This run of success represents a marked turnaround for McInnes, whose tenure began with considerable difficulty, including an early European exit to Jablonec and four matches without a victory.
The improvement has narrowed the gap between Rangers and their rivals. According to Sky Sports, Rangers now sit two points behind Celtic after their sequence of consecutive wins, positioning them as genuine contenders in the title race.
What does McInnes expect going forward?
McInnes has made clear that maintaining this momentum is essential.
"I'm under no illusions their good form has to continue,"he stated, acknowledging that the recent success must be sustained rather than viewed as a turning point guaranteed to lead to silverware.
The manager also revealed a recent visit from Sir Alex Ferguson, the legendary former Manchester United manager, who spent time at Rangers' training ground.
"He spent a bit of time with the staff and me, chewing the fat as he does. He has always been really supportive, and I'm sure he is with a lot of managers."Ferguson had been a regular visitor to Hearts during McInnes's tenure there, when the Edinburgh club mounted an unexpected title challenge.
McInnes described the conversation with Ferguson as particularly valuable given the context of his early struggles at Ibrox.
"I've had a couple of conversations with him since I've been at the club, but to see him in person was good. Particularly after his health scare. He enjoyed what we were doing at Hearts and he was a regular visitor. But he understood the opportunity for me to come here was there and we spoke long and hard about that."
Ferguson shared perspective from his own experience of difficult starts in management.
"He spoke about his own difficult starts at Man United, and he said it's how you finish a campaign not how you start the campaign. Sometimes it can take time. He thought we were really strong on the performance at Celtic Park in particular."
What lies ahead for Rangers?
Rangers face a critical sequence of fixtures that will test their credentials. According to , former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday suggested the club's next five matches "will really shape the season", with the run comprising four league fixtures and a League Cup semi-final against Aberdeen.
The immediate challenge arrives on Saturday, 10 October, when Kilmarnock visit Ibrox for a 15:00 kick-off. Following that encounter, Rangers' schedule includes an away trip to Dundee on 17 October, a home fixture against St Johnstone on 24 October, an away match at Hearts on 28 October, and the League Cup semi-final against Aberdeen on 31 October, according to ESPN.
Key Facts
- McInnes was named Premiership manager of the month for September after four consecutive victories
- Rangers have won six straight matches but remain two points behind Celtic in the league table
- The international break lasted 19 days from Rangers' last match, preventing the full squad from training together until the day before the Kilmarnock fixture
- Sir Alex Ferguson visited Rangers' training ground to meet with McInnes and his coaching staff
