Derek McInnes Explains why Rangers Signings Were Not in Motherwell XI

On Saturday afternoon, Rangers secured a much needed three points at home to Motherwell. It was only 1-0 in the end, but it was a much improved performance and it certainly could have been more on another day.

This win and in particular performance came despite new signings Kevin Kelsy (from Portland Timbers), and Badredine Bouanani (from VfB Stuttgart) not being named in the starting XI. In fact, the latter was not even in the match day squad at all.

As you’d expect, there has been a bit of discourse around these calls from Derek McInnes. Well, fortunately the gaffer has himself explained the reasoning.

When speaking to Rangers TV, via thenational.scot, McInnes said: “It's not easy getting good players in, obviously Kevin Kelsy was one that was dragging out, but the club's done so well to get him in, reacted brilliantly to Youssef's [Chermiti] injury and hopefully he can come and hit the ground running.

Having a conversation with him yesterday, he feels more comfortable coming from the bench today and hopefully we'll see him at some point.

Then, as for the Algerian international: “Badredine isn't involved today. He's not had a lot of football the last few weeks, so he was only with us yesterday for a lighter session. The intention is to get him ready, get him a couple of training days ahead of St Mirren and hopefully we see him for that game."

Good to get that transparency from the manager and you have to say fair enough after reading that. Listen, fair play. Perhaps both players will make a step in midweek. Kelsy from the bench to the XI, and Bouanani from left out to the substitutes bench. But let’s wait and see.

Given the amount of chances that were created on Saturday, a lot of fans will believe that Kelsy would have made the score a lot more comfortable had he started the game. Well, perhaps the game on Wednesday evening will tell us either way.

That game, which will be at home to St. Mirren, is the last game before the double header Old Firm - at Ibrox in the Scottish League Cup - and at Celtic Park in the Scottish Premiership. You feel like McInnes could do with as much good will as possible heading into those games, so three points would be huge. 

It will certainly be interesting to see how much of a part the two aforementioned players will have to play in that one. We will be covering things here at Roundtable, so make sure to stay tuned for that. Should be an exciting one. Hopefully anyway.