Rangers boss Derek McInnes says he's 'not a fan' of extended international break
October 8, 2026 14:30
McInnes highlighted that 13 Rangers players were on international duty following the 20 September derby win over Celtic. He confirmed the full squad will only train together on Friday — "the day before the visit of Kilmarnock" — meaning it will be 19 days since the Celtic game when they next take the pitch as a group.
"Our players are away with different federations, working with different staff and travelling all over the world for four games," McInnes said. He added that while the players had returned to the club, "they're not all training," and that the length of time players spend away causes concern: "That's longer than a lot of tournaments for a lot of countries. I know it's set in stone - but I'm not a fan of it to be honest."
The break arrives after a positive run for Rangers: McInnes' side went into the international pause on six successive victories, including wins over Celtic in both the League Cup and the Premiership. McInnes was named Premiership manager of the month for September.
He also acknowledged the beginnings of his Rangers tenure have been mixed, noting an earlier exit from European competition and saying he is under "no illusions" that the team's good form must continue.
Separately, McInnes revealed he had lunch with Sir Alex Ferguson at Rangers' training ground. He said Ferguson had been "really supportive" and recalled conversations in which Ferguson stressed that "it's how you finish a campaign not how you start the campaign." McInnes added Ferguson "thought we were really strong on the performance at Celtic Park in particular."
What happens next
Rangers' squad will regroup at the club and hold their first full training session on Friday ahead of Kilmarnock's visit the following day.