Derek McInnes can fulfil Rangers title destiny after ‘mind-blowing’ VAR decisions that destroyed Premiership title dream

McInnes finally landed the top job at Ibrox earlier this summer, where he spent five years during his playing career

Jody Morris was delighted to see his old pal Derek McInnes finally get his dream job at Rangers.

And the former Chelsea star is desperate to see the new Ibrox boss get his hands on the Premiership title after missing out on the championship last season as a result of what he describes as some “mind-blowing” decisions.

Ex Gers midfielder McInnes came to within a whisker of leading Hearts to title glory back in May before losing out to champions Celtic in a final day shootout at Parkhead.

But days earlier, Scottish football was the subject of controversy when Martin O’Neill’s Celtic snatched a huge three points away to Motherwell thanks to a last-gasp penalty from Kelechi Iheanacho.

Hoops were awarded a spot kick after VAR Andrew Dallas concluded that Steelmen star Sam Nicholson had handled the ball inside the area as he competed for a header with Auston Trusty.

Hearts’ maintained their place at the league summit on the same night with a victory over Falkirk but after the game McInnes was critical of events at Fir Park, describing the decision to give Celtic a penalty as ‘disgusting’.

Those remarks have now seen the new Rangers manager handed a four-game touchline ban in the new season, a verdict that his club have since appealed.

But Morris – who played alongside McInnes at Millwall and then under him at both St Johnstone and Bristol City – reckons the Ibrox giants will have no better chance of lifting the title for only the second time in 15 years this season.

Speaking to BOYLE Sports – who offer the latest football odds – he said: “It is long overdue for Derek McInnes to be the Rangers manager. He should have gotten it a couple of times before.

“I know many Rangers fans who are buzzing that he is through the door. The main objective for any Rangers manager is to finish above Celtic and beat them.

“He is a proven manager in the league and was unlucky not to win it last year. There were some decisions toward the end of the season that were mind-blowing. The fact that he challenged Celtic so closely with Hearts was a phenomenal job.

“He did a phenomenal job at Hearts, Kilmarnock, Aberdeen, and St Johnstone. He has been an amazing manager in Scotland. He is a mate of mine and I value him as a manager and as a man-manager. He is a Rangers man who wears his heart on his sleeve, and I was absolutely delighted for him.

“He was sad to leave Hearts because he loved it there, but he’s been destined for the Rangers job for a long time. For me, it’s long overdue and Rangers have their best chance in a long time to finish above Celtic.”

Morris admits he is a big fan of veteran Hoops boss O’Neill but would love nothing more than McInnes than to make Rangers top dogs again.

He added: “I love Martin O’Neill as well as Derek McInnes. He has been the chairman of the League Managers Association for the last couple of years. He is a huge character and is rightly adored by Celtic fans.

“He did a great job last year, they wouldn’t be champions if he weren’t involved.

“Both times he closed the gap. Derek is a bit more hands-on on the training pitch, whereas Martin is from the Brian Clough school of management where he lets the coaches coach and focuses on man-management. They are two massive personalities, and they are both great people in football.

“I am on Derek’s side and Rangers’ side this year, but I am a huge fan of Martin. I actually like Celtic as well, I’m not one of those people who feels you have to like one or the other. I’m looking forward to the battle between those two clubs and those two managers.

“It’s going to be great to watch. I have to get up there, it’s been a couple of years since I’ve been to one of those games.”