McInnes admits 'guilt' over Hearts exit for Rangers

What the report says

Rangers manager Derek McInnes says he feels “guilt” over leaving Hearts for Ibrox in the summer and is braced for a hostile response when he returns to Tynecastle on Wednesday, BBC Sport Football reports. McInnes is back at the Edinburgh ground for the first time since taking the Rangers job, having spent a short but successful spell at Hearts last season.

According to the BBC, McInnes said he understood why some Hearts supporters may be upset, given how close the club came to winning their first top-flight title in 66 years before finishing second behind Celtic. He said he remains proud of what he achieved there and described Hearts as a well-run club that performed strongly despite not having the financial resources of Celtic or Rangers. He also said he believes Hearts can challenge again this season under new head coach Wouter Vrancken.

McInnes said he appreciated the disappointment surrounding his exit because he had previously felt similarly let down by Lawrence Shankland’s decision to leave for Rangers. He added that the response he receives from fans on Wednesday is understandable, even if he expects it will not be a warm one. The comments underline how emotionally charged managerial moves can be in Scottish football, especially when a club has recently come so close to a title breakthrough.