No surprises for McInnes: Rangers women boss predicts smooth start

Leanne Crichton, head coach of Rangers women, told BBC Radio Scotland’s Sportsound that there will be no surprises for Derek McInnes, the newly appointed Rangers manager, who has left Hearts to return to Ibrox after a playing spell with the club in 2000. The move reunites him with the club he left as a player in 2000.

Crichton, who leads the Rangers women’s side, now works alongside McInnes at the club’s Ibrox headquarters. McInnes departed Hearts to take up the Rangers job.

“​He knows the club in and out, has managed against the club on numerous occasions, played for the club, he knows it,” Crichton said. She highlighted his extensive experience with Rangers both on the pitch and from the touchline.

“​His communication skills are so vitally important, he knows how to manage the media in this country, he knows how to manage the expectations of fans,” she added. Crichton believes those abilities will help navigate the pressures of the Scottish game.

“​He’s got a clear identity and style and a real understanding about what he wants his team to look like,” Crichton noted. The description suggests McInnes already has a tactical blueprint for the senior side.

“​I’m really looking forward to getting back into work next week and seeing what sort of impact he has on the wider club as well,” Crichton said. She expects the new manager to influence both the men’s and women’s programmes.

“​I’ve got no doubt he’s the right man for the job and it’s a really exciting appointment,” she concluded. The endorsement underscores the optimism surrounding McInnes’s tenure at Rangers.