Top Scottish source drops Derek McInnes sack verdict if Rangers lose to Celtic
Derek McInnes' position is set to come under huge pressure if Rangers lose to Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup on Sunday.
That is according to former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that fans could turn on their boss if they are beaten by their arch-rivals at Ibrox.
McInnes was handed a three-year contract as Rangers' new manager in June after leading Hearts to a title charge last season.
He got off to a tough start at Ibrox as the Gers picked up one point in their first two Premiership games and crashed out of both Europa League and Conference League qualifying.
Rangers have won their last three games, but are already lagging behind Celtic in the title race and take on their league-leading rivals in the Premier Sports Cup on Sunday.
Celtic will not have any away fans present after the SFA's ban, which is seen as a huge positive for McInnes and Rangers, but will also add more pressure on them to progress to the next round.
Rangers could start 'countdown' to Derek McInnes sack after Celtic clash
Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – thinks that McInnes should be given more time to gel his squad and get some more good results under his belt.
He will come under fire if they lose, though, and the hard games keep coming as they then face the Hoops again a week later at Parkhead in a league clash.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness explained: “I think victory is clearly more important for Derek McInnes and Rangers. The away end will be filled with home fans, so the groans will be even louder if Celtic go ahead. Rangers have had a very poor start to the season. This matters more to them, and if they fail here, the pressure really will start to mount.
"McInnes would be right under it if he was to lose at home. We are getting to the territory, if he loses that game, where we start to have a countdown (of how many games he has left). The Old Firm clubs do have this kneejerk problem, but McInnes has got to be given time.”
Rangers must pay lofty fee to land Lewis Ferguson deal in January
McInnes identified Bologna and Scotland star Ferguson as a top midfield target during the summer window, with personal terms believed to be agreed.
The Gers never took their interest in his services any further, though, with sources revealing to Football Insider that Bologna want around £15million to let Ferguson leave in January.
They are set to keep him on their shortlist, with Ferguson keen on a return to his boyhood club, but it seems unlikely that he will make the move until next summer at least.