Kevin Thomson: Now may not be the time for McInnes at Rangers

I am sorry it hasn't worked out for Pedro Caixinha. He invited me for an interview in March when he was looking for a '¨No 3. I was with him for two hours and I enjoyed it. He is a gentleman and he spoke well about football.
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has been linked with Rangers. Picture Craig Williamson/SNSAberdeen manager Derek McInnes has been linked with Rangers. Picture Craig Williamson/SNS
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has been linked with Rangers. Picture Craig Williamson/SNS

I was disappointed not to get the opportunity to go back to Ibrox but I certainly wasn’t 
bitter. I do not have a bad word to say about him.

When he phoned me to say he was going to go with Jonatan Johansson he said I was welcome back any time, he just felt at this time JJ was the right man for the job – I respected that.

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He had some good ideas. But good ideas at Rangers are only appreciated on the back of winning games of football week in, week out.

The club needs to get the next appointment right, that’s for sure. I was more open to the idea of Pedro than many people. As a country we are sometimes a bit sceptical about foreign coaches. I like how they bring different ideas, a different perspective to football. We can sometimes be a bit stuck in our ways.

But the results, sadly, have not warranted him staying in a job. I did say at the time of Pedro’s arrvial that the appointment had to be right. That applies even more so now it’s come to appointing his 
successor.

Derek McInnes has done a good job at Aberdeen. I am particularly interested in young coaches developing to become good managers because that is the path I’d like to take. But you have to be realistic – the Aberdeen team have had it their own way and have been almost unchallenged in second place in recent years. Would Derek be up for it? Of course he would. Any coach would like to manage Rangers – it is one of the biggest clubs in the world.

I just think with some of the coaches out there, and some of the CVs that will be sent in, Rangers need to think big. I know Derek would back himself against any of these names. But it has to be right this time and I am not sure Derek’s the one at the moment.

Rangers are not going to win the league this year. No Rangers fan will realistically feel they can. So there is no rush. Graeme Murty was in charge for six games last time and did a sound job. If the right name presents itself then great, get him in. If he not then sit tight and have a good discussion.

Rangers also have someone who is held in high regard in Walter Smith. Ask his opinion. Ask what he thinks is needed to help get the club back on track. When you have someone like that, not to use his knowledge is criminal. If they did seek his feedback before appointing Pedro, fair enough. But I saw Walter soon after that appointment and I asked him what he thought – he answered he had not really met him. He had to introduce himself, which I found strange.

Unlike some of my former Ibrox team-mates, I don’t think the next manager must be a “Rangers man”.

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But I think he has to be a winner. Some of the names touted around already, like Ronald Koeman and even Patrick Vieira, clearly have that mentality, even if Koeman has had a difficult spell at Everton. Why not consider these types of names?

I’ve always said I’d like to work at the club again in some coaching capacity – I had four great years there. I’d go back at the drop of a hat. But I would want to go back to make a 
difference and not just make up the numbers.

The fact people such as 
Charlie Adam have been motivated to send me a message saying I’m highly thought of among the fans and deserve a role at the club is special, and a mark of how hard I’ve worked at my football academy over the last year.