Former Rangers scout Neil Murray believes Derek McInnes is rebuilding the squad with leader-type players, mirroring the successful approach under Walter Smith. Murray highlights signings like Ben Godfrey, Dan Neil, and Lawrence Shankland as key to restoring a winning mentality at Ibrox.
McInnes Replicates Smith's Blueprint
Neil Murray, a four-time champion under Walter Smith in the 1990s and later Ibrox chief scout, sees a familiar winning formula developing in the early weeks of the McInnes era. He notes a Scottish or British core being sought, with plenty of leadership figures arriving at the club.
Centre-back Ben Godfrey was only 21 when he was promoted to stand-in skipper for Norwich in the Premier League. Dan Neil captained Sunderland to their promotion via the playoffs in 2024/25. Lawrence Shankland skippered Hearts to within minutes of a historic title under McInnes, who installed Ross McCrorie as vice-captain at Aberdeen. Transfer target Lewis Ferguson’s credentials as a Serie A captain with Bologna and his Rangers bloodline are obvious.
Leaders and Captains Key to Success
Murray said: “McInnes is a good appointment for Rangers because he clearly understands the club and their demands. Other managers who come in face a steep learning curve in that sense. When I was scouting, we always looked for leaders or captains in their own right. We signed ‘Captain America’ Carlos Bocanegra and Dorin Goian, who captained Romania from time to time. We were also interested in and looked at Gareth McAuley years before he eventually arrived – a captain type and great talker. These are always important for Rangers.”
“For me, Shankland will be great in that respect, scoring goals and leading by example. In some ways, maybe Rangers have been missing that. You look at Celtic, who have James Forrest who has been there a long time. Kieran Tierney knows the club inside out and Callum McGregor has had incredible success as captain. These are the guys who set standards for Celtic. Those who come in have to be aware of what Celtic require. That’s how Rangers need to approach things a little bit. Bring in the right people – not necessarily superstars or extravagant footballers. Committed characters are also important because it just keeps the standard high in a dressing room.”
Serbian Target and Youthful Leadership
Even their Serbian transfer target, Vanja Dragojevic, captains Partizan Belgrade at just 20 years old. Alan McLaren wore the armband at Hearts as a teenager before Rangers swooped when he was 23. Murray recalled: “Richard Gough was the captain in that dressing room but you also had Bomber (John Brown) who was a winner too. Stuart McCall, Ian Ferguson and, although people kind of overlook strikers at times, Mark Hateley and Ally McCoist were as determined as anyone on the pitch. That was a real strength of ours. And McLaren then fitted in seamlessly. That was very much the characteristic you wanted at the heart of the team. A squad with captain-type mentality players.”
McInnes' Impact at Hearts and Rangers
To Murray’s eyes, McInnes didn’t take long to put his stamp on Hearts in his solitary season at Tynecastle. The spirit and togetherness was, he says, a contrast to the squabbling he spotted at Rangers in times of struggle. That, surely, will form part of the fix as McInnes seeks to turn Rangers into genuine challengers after flattering to deceive since Steven Gerrard’s exit from Ibrox.
Murray said: “McInnes has a clear vision of what he wants. At Hearts, it wasn’t just about team selection and formations. It was about galvanising that team spirit. Because you can’t keep that momentum going if it’s a flash in the pan. Derek is clearly a good man-manager to get a tune out of teams consistently. And, at Hearts, you saw a manager and his players all pulling in the same direction. Last season they were very strong in the spine of the team. These guys were important to drive things on and set the standards when the manager’s not looking. Watching Hearts last season, they’d make mistakes. But none of the players would moan and complain about each other. They would motivate each other to go again and get goals back. There was a real determination. And I can tell you, that comes from the management and their leaders. Quite often at Rangers, you’d see them pointing the fingers at each other on the pitch, playing the blame game. Seeing that in public, there’s a big difference.”
McCrorie and Ferguson Reunions
McInnes moved swiftly to reunite with McCrorie, a versatile star for him at Pittodrie. The bid to bring another of his Aberdeen favourites, Lewis Ferguson, to Ibrox looks a bit trickier. A club record £17 million may be required to make the Scotland midfield ace their signature summer capture.
Murray added: “McCrorie is a very consistent player who can fulfil a variety of roles. He’s been at the club before and understands the necessity to win games. Very rarely do you get a second bite at it at Rangers, to go back and make a significant contribution. Ross has that chance. I’m sure he’ll make the most of it. Ferguson, if it stacks up financially, is a great example of the type of player McInnes is looking to get into the group. A Serie A captain, you can’t argue with it. He totally fits the mould – that leader type who sets an example. We will see if they can get a deal done. McInnes is an experienced guy who knows what he wants and what he’s doing. So if he gets the same backing as previous Rangers managers, then he should have all the tools to go and make himself and the club a success.”
Allan McGregor Returns as Goalkeeping Coach
Allan McGregor has returned to his old stomping ground as goalkeeping coach. Murray recognises that as a smart move to beef up McInnes’ backroom staff. He’ll have Ivor Pandur, signed from McGregor’s former club Hull City, to work with as well as Liam Kelly.
“McGregor played a lot of games for Rangers and is experienced at winning,” said Murray. “Towards the end of his Rangers career, he still had an enormous desire and pride in keeping the ball out his net. Allan has a good attitude, is a winner. So he is a good appointment. McInnes needs people around him who get that Rangers should be winning more leagues than they are.”
