Rangers delay pre-season return as Derek McInnes arrival timeline emerges with first glamour friendly announced
Rangers confirm a high-profile friendly against English opposition in late July as club’s summer plans steadily take shape
Derek McInnes has been officially installed as Rangers’ next permanent manager just a matter of honours after confirmation of Danny Rohl’s departure for RB Salzburg in Austria.
McInnes’ return to the club he served with such distinction as a player has been greeted positively by supporters, but the sudden managerial movement has led the Govan giants to re-think their pre-season plans.
A number of first-team stars had been ordered to report back to the club’s Auchenhowie training base next Monday to begin preparation for the new campaign. Players were assigned separate fitness programmes to keep themselves in shape before carrying out various testing on their return to Glasgow.
Now, however, the Daily Record report that Rangers playing staff have been informed to delay their return until next Thursday, with new boss McInnes still on a family vacation in the United States.
The former Hearts, Kilmarnock and Aberdeen manager has been spotted attending various sporting events and is due to fly back from his break in the coming days ahead of meeting the squad for the first time.
McInnes was spied amongst the Tartan Army as Scotland won their first World Cup match since 1990 against Haiti in the early hours of Sunday morning and was also snapped among the crowd at a Boston Red Sox baseball game 24 hours later.
Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh has been in America as well, which has made it easier for the incoming boss to discuss the changes he wants to implement this season.
Rangers confirm first pre-season glamour friendly
The 54-year-old, will be able to all on his captain from Tynecastle, Lawrence Shankland, but will have other signings in mind in addition to the Scotland international as the club look to bounce back from another trophyless campaign.
And despite being on holiday, McInnes hasn’t wasted any time in getting down to business with the club announcing their first pre-season glamour friendly against high profile English opposition in late July.
Rangers will host West Ham United at Ibrox on Sunday, July 26, the weekend before their Premiership campaign kicks off against Dundee United on July 31. The match will act as the final warm-up clash before the domestic season begins.
Rangers also have Europa League qualifiers on the horizon, with their third round fixtures scheduled for August 6 and 13 against opponents still to be determined.
A statement confirmed: “We will host West Ham United in a pre-season friendly on Sunday, 26 July. Kicking off at 4pm, Nuno Espírito Santo’s team will provide a fantastic final test for Derek McInnes’ squad ahead of the Scottish Premiership campaign.”
Rangers previously faced the Hammers in a pre-season friendly under Giovanni van Bronckhorst in 2022 - running out 3-1 winners on that occasion, courtesy of goals from Ryan Kent, Tom Lawrence and Rabbi Matondo.