Derek McInnes handling business end of the season

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·15 February 2026

Derek McInnes handling business end of the season

Derek McInnes is allowing his ego to think he is relevant, I reckon he will finish the season empty handed as is almost always the case…

Albert Kidd celebrating scoring goal for Dundee May 1986

Derek McInnes is a decent enough football manager, nothing more and that’s the truth. We can’t deny that he’s got Hearts in a terrific position thus far, but he’s not achieved anything yet, just like he’s achieved nothing of note in his long managerial career.

OneFootball Videos

Sure he won the League Cup with Aberdeen back in 2014, but overall he’s done nothing to suggest he’s in the top class bracket of football management. Del as he’s affectionately known, has been known to choke when the going gets tough, something we know all too well after being victorious against his sides in a number of cup finals as well as a few vital league fixtures.

Del is now shouting to anyone who will listen, that everyone in Scottish football is itching for his side to fail, but no one outside of Celtic Park, Easter Road or Ibrox are wanting them to crash and burn, they are all routing for the Jambos despite Dels claim.

Callum McGregor shakes hands with Derek McInnes after the match at Tynecastle. Hearts v Celtic, 26 October 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

The two Glasgow clubs have title ambitions of their own so of course they both want Hearts to fail in the only competition that they’ve been decent in this season. Out of both the Premier Sports Cup and the Scottish Cup in the early stages and with no European football this season due to their lowly finishing position last year as a bottom six side, Hearts have been able to focus exclusively on their league matches.

Hibs don’t want them to win the league for their own rivalry reason and we can all understand that – even Derek McInnes. But the rest of Scottish football, understandably, would like to see a team outside of Glasgow winning the league.

The Hearts manager, also rather bizarrely, keeps having a pop at Celtic in his post match interviews, funny that eh? Obsessed that much by the Champions Del?

All that McInnes is doing is trying to create a siege mentality among his players, whilst at the same time stroking his own inflated ego, in a bid to do the unthinkable and win Hearts the title. He most likely dreams of parading the league title through the streets of Edinburgh, with himself at the centre of it all, fake tan and all.

Heart of Midlothian v Aberdeen, Scottish Premiership 04/08/2025. Hearts head coach Derek McInnes during the Scottish Premiership match between Heart of Midlothian and Aberdeen at Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh, on 4 August 2025. Photo Malcolm Mackenzie, PSI

If Derek was chocolate he’d eat himself. He certainly believes his own hype. Yet the truth is he’s a nearly man in football management, and that doesn’t look like changing any time soon.

The business end of the season starts today. Hearts are top of the table at present but have to play theRangers twice – at Ibrox today and at Tynecastle post split – and Celtic once at Celtic Park, again post split.

His big advantage is that neither of the Glasgow sides are particularly strong this season and both had really strange managerial appointments going badly long with McInnes benefiting from both these disasters. Yet both are neck and neck with Hearts in the title race. How did that happen Del?

Hearts manager Derek McInnes celebrates after the Scottish Premiership match between theRangers and Hearts at Ibrox on September 13, 2025. (Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images)

Sorry Derek, but you and your players are irrelevant outside your own little Gorgie bubble. Most of us already know that you will finish the season empty handed. It’s just a matter of which hurdle you’ll fall at first.

Celtic has the course and distance experience within the squad and in the dugout, theRangers have their match officials (as Del Boy well knows). Watch them do their dastardly work today folks.

Hearts fans at Dundee in May 1986. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Hearts got closer to the title – much closer – in 1986. Remember that one older lurking Jambos?

For Celtic today it’s all about getting our own work done successfully at Rugby Park then seeing how things play out at Ibrox. When the dust has settled this evening there will be winners and losers in a title race that will have more twists and turns to follow.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

Last chance to grab your copy of Invincible, signed by Matt Corr

Last remaining copies of Matt Corr’s brilliant debut book ‘Invincible’ are now being sold on our bookstore or just £10 plus postage. And please note we only charge postage on the first book in our order so you can order others for just a tenner each postage free. Invincible is a brilliant read covering that awesome season that ended in spectacular fashion at Hampden in the Scottish Cup final….

Stocks are very low on Invincible so if you want it in your Celtic book collection today would be a good time to order! Visit celticstarbooks.com to get your copy of INVINCIBLE.

INVINCIBLE by Matt Corr. Order a signed copy now for just £10 plus P&P. Click to order…

Invincible by Matt Corr, available for just £10 plus P&P from Celtic Star Books – click to order…