McInnes criticises extended break after 13 Rangers players leave on international duty

Derek McInnes has criticised the length of the international break after Rangers had 13 players away with their national teams, BBC Sport reported. The manager said his full squad would not train together until Friday, 19 days after the club's Scottish Premiership victory over Celtic on 20 September. He described the interruption as too long.

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McInnes said the returning players were all back at the club on Thursday, but not all were taking part in training. Their first collective session would therefore come the day before Rangers host Kilmarnock. He pointed to the demands of players travelling around the world and working with different national associations and coaching staffs over a four-match international schedule.

The Rangers manager's concerns extended beyond the time available on the training pitch. He said lengthy periods away were difficult for players and their families, while club staff were left anxious about having their footballers under other teams' supervision for so long. McInnes acknowledged that the calendar was fixed, but made clear that he did not support the extended arrangement.

The interruption came after a marked improvement in Rangers' results. They entered the break with six consecutive victories, including wins over Celtic in the League Cup and the Premiership in their two most recent matches. McInnes was named Premiership manager of the month for September after four league wins from four, following an opening period at Ibrox that included elimination from European competition.

McInnes also revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson had visited Rangers' training ground for lunch and a conversation with him and his staff. According to the BBC report, Ferguson had regularly visited Tynecastle during Hearts' unexpected title challenge under McInnes last season. The pair had discussed McInnes's opportunity to move to Rangers, and had spoken a couple of times since he joined the club.

Ferguson drew on his own difficult early period at Manchester United during their conversation, McInnes said, emphasising the importance of how a season ends rather than how it begins. McInnes also said Ferguson praised Rangers' performance at Celtic Park. Despite the recent run of victories and his September award, the Rangers boss stressed that the improved form needed to continue.