Derek McInnes admits guilt over leaving Hearts for Rangers

Derek McInnes has acknowledged feeling guilty about leaving Hearts for Rangers in the summer, saying he understands why supporters of his former club were upset by the decision. In comments reported by BBC Sport Scotland on Tuesday, the Rangers manager described the emotional aftermath of Hearts' failed title challenge and his decision to leave soon afterwards.

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Hearts had led the Scottish Premiership for much of last season but lost 3-1 at Celtic on the final day as the champions retained their crown. McInnes took the Edinburgh club to 80 points after a previous bottom-six finish, bringing them close to a first top-flight championship in 66 years. He said he remained proud of that achievement despite the disappointment of the finish.

McInnes explained that players and staff had initially drawn together during the close season as they dealt with missing out. He said it had felt like a moment when everyone should remain united, which made his subsequent choice between staying and moving particularly difficult.

The manager also linked his understanding of supporters' reaction to his own response when Lawrence Shankland announced he was joining Rangers. Hearts' captain and leading scorer had committed to the move before McInnes followed a couple of weeks later. McInnes said he had felt disappointed by Shankland's decision and recognised the parallel when he then made the same switch.

Despite the split, McInnes spoke positively about Hearts and their ability to compete with clubs operating with greater financial resources. He described the club as well run and said he regarded them as title contenders under successor Wouter Vrancken. He also maintained that his feelings about his time in Edinburgh would not change because of supporters' response to his departure.

McInnes expressed a continuing sense of injustice over last season's outcome, arguing that contentious decisions had contributed to Hearts missing the title. That was his assessment of the campaign. He said his ambition had been to win the championship with a club outside Celtic and Rangers, an objective his Hearts side narrowly failed to achieve.