Derek McInnes criticises Rangers’ display at Hearts but enjoys late leveller
The former Jambos boss was booed on his return to Tynecastle.
Derek McInnes lamented an “inexplicable” start to the second half from his Rangers side as they required a late Olwethu Makhanya equaliser to salvage a 2-2 draw with Hearts on his much-hyped Tynecastle return.
The Gers boss said it was a “surreal” night as he was regularly booed and taunted by the Jambos support throughout his first match back in Gorgie since leaving for Ibrox in June, just weeks after he almost led the Edinburgh side to the William Hill Premiership title.
McInnes’ team silenced a pumped-up home crowd when Kevin Kelsy scored in the 16th minute but Hearts turned it round with goals from Claudio Braga and Calvin Miller in the first 13 minutes of the second half.
Makhanya looped in an 89th minute header to ensured the match ended all square, keeping second-placed Gers four points behind Celtic and four above the Jambos.
“We’re disappointed we never showed more authority in the game,” said McInnes.
“You’ve got to credit Hearts. I think Hearts had the better players. I think they had three or four real top performers and players who played really well. And we never started the second half. It’s inexplicable, really.
“We never defended with any real certainty, and we needed to in those moments. It was only really in the last 15 or 20 minutes that we started to knit a few passes, we started to play a wee bit more and we got an equaliser from a set play, which is pleasing.
“From that point of view, we deserved our point although we should have won it at the end (through Dujon Sterling), but it would have been really harsh on Hearts had we taken it. We didn’t do enough to win the game.”
There appeared to be friction between McInnes and his successor Wouter Vrancken as they exchanged words during what looked an awkward handshake at full-time.
McInnes joked: “I think he was just thanking me for how grateful he is for leaving him such a strong squad here.”
Hearts boss Vrancken said of the incident: “Everybody fights for their own team.
“I have the biggest respect for him, for what he does at Rangers and what he did here.
“When you draw, lose or win, I think you have to have a genuine handshake. But we spoke at the end, and it’s all fine.”
Vrancken expressed pride at the way Hearts performed amid an ever-deepening injury crisis, with Rogers Mato the latest to succumb after he went off in the first half with a muscle strain.
“When you concede a goal so late, you’re always disappointed because I think we deserved the three points,” said the Belgian.
“It would have been a great win, but it was still a massive performance.
“You’re playing against a really good side who want to win the title, who spent a lot of millions during the summer and who aren’t playing in Europe, so they have fewer games. They also had an extra day of recovery going into this match.
“I’m really proud of what they did today.”