Derek McInnes struck a tone of calm authority as he previewed Rangers’ trip to face Celtic at Parkhead.
He chose to focus not on tactics but on togetherness.
Asked about a short clip posted on social media by Nico Raskin, showing several first-team players gathered at a cafe in Glasgow’s west end, the Rangers manager used the moment to talk up the mood inside his squad.
The backdrop to this fixture is unusual. Away fans are barred from Parkhead for the match, meaning Rangers supporters will have no presence inside the away end for this instalment of the Old Firm rivalry.
That absence puts extra weight on what happens inside the dressing room. McInnes made clear he sees squad unity as central to keeping his players grounded.
It comes just a week after Rangers beat Celtic 3-0 at Ibrox in the Premier Sports Cup, with Dan Neil scoring twice. The squad’s oldest outfield player that day, James Penrice, is only 27.
McInnes was quick to stress that one good result changes nothing about the demands facing his group before Sunday’s rematch.
McInnes Praises Unity as Rangers Prepare for Fan-Free Parkhead Trip
Speaking to reporters ahead of the trip across the city, McInnes returned repeatedly to the theme of closeness among his players.
He pointed to the coffee clip as evidence of a group that enjoys spending time together away from the training ground. He did not treat it as a distraction ahead of a huge fixture.
With no away fans able to travel to Parkhead, McInnes appears keen to ensure his squad generates its own energy and support from within.
He has spoken before about wanting a tight-knit dressing room. The reaction to Raskin’s clip gave him another chance to reinforce that message publicly, days before Rangers’ team bonding session in the west end became a talking point.
Crucially, McInnes was also careful to temper any sense of momentum from last week’s cup win.
His comments framed the coffee outing as part of a longer-term culture at the club rather than a reaction to beating Celtic.
The manager was keen to avoid any suggestion that his players are getting ahead of themselves. He knows this fixture carries huge stakes regardless of recent form.
Derek McInnes Transcript & Dissection: Bonding, Coffee Clips, and Raskin’s Influence
Asked directly about the images of his players out together, McInnes drew a comparison with his own playing days at Ibrox, joking about the difference in venue.
“The Stepps Bar didn’t provide coffee for us!”
He then explained how he first became aware of the outing, revealing that it was a conversation closer to home that alerted him to what his players had been doing.
“My son had told me about the pictures. I spoke to Nico the next day and he said that the boys were out. It’s a couple of times now they’ve done that. I just like my players to be around each other.”
McInnes was unambiguous about wanting his squad to build relationships that go beyond the training pitch, describing the kind of environment he wants to see at the club.
“Feel like a family, feel like brothers in there.”
That message ties closely to how James Penrice’s recent form has been discussed in recent weeks. The 27-year-old was the most experienced outfield player in the squad that beat Celtic at Ibrox. McInnes clearly sees value in a group where senior and younger players mix freely, on and off the pitch.
Among those he singled out for praise was Raskin himself.
The Belgian midfielder does not wear the captain’s armband. McInnes still made clear the influence he believes Raskin carries within the squad.
“He doesn’t wear the armband, but I sometimes look at Nico as a captain type and he’s got big influence on so many.”
That framing is worth noting. It reflects McInnes’ personal assessment of Raskin’s standing among teammates, rather than any formal change to the club’s leadership group.
The armband still belongs to whoever Rangers have designated as captain, usually Lawrence Shankland or Dan Neil, but the manager’s words underline how highly he rates the Belgian’s character.
Opposing Camp Perspective: Celtic Response and Derby Pressure
A 3-0 loss at Ibrox, with Dan Neil scoring twice, will have stung a Celtic squad unused to losing home advantage so comprehensively in a derby fixture. That result adds an extra layer of pressure to Sunday’s league meeting. Celtic need a response in front of their own supporters.
For Rangers, the challenge is different but no less significant. Beating Celtic once does not guarantee repeating the feat, and McInnes knows Old Firm matches rarely follow the pattern of the previous meeting.
Supporters searching for clues on how Rangers might approach the game can read a tactical analysis of the Celtic rematch published this week.
What McInnes has tried to avoid, publicly at least, is any hint of complacency. His remarks about squad culture were delivered alongside a clear warning about the standards required at a club of Rangers’ size, regardless of one dominant scoreline.
“At a club like Rangers, you’re only one bad result away from getting a belt in the mouth again.”
That comment sets the tone for how Rangers are approaching this fixture.
They remain respectful of what they achieved at Ibrox, but fully aware that Parkhead is a different test entirely, against a Celtic side with every incentive to respond.
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