Derek McInnes declares Rangers CAN catch Celtic amid next boss swirls but Beale exit leaves the club with 'issues'

Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes reckons Rangers can catch Celtic in the league title race amid speculation he could take over the Ibrox hot seat.

Michael Beale was shown the door following the defeat to Aberdeen with the club trailing the Hoops by seven points in the Scottish Premiership already this term. Interim boss Steven Davis will look to lift the side in their Europa League clash with Aris Limassol before the clash with in-form St Mirren ahead of the domestic action going into cold storage for the international break.

McInnes has been touted as a frontrunner to replace the Londoner alongside the likes of Frank Lampard and Kevin Muscat having led Kilmarnock to promotion and reestablished them as a top flight club during his tenure. The former Ibrox midfielder also enjoyed success with Aberdeen - with his Pittodrie achievements leading to the Light Blues previously offering him the chance to manage the club.

He turned them down on that occasion - but should he step into the role at the second time of asking McInnes reckons there is a route back into the title race with Celtic for Gers. Speaking about the decision to axe Beale on TNT Sports, he said: “I think those heady days of reaching a European final and winning the Scottish Cup you would have to question the recruitment.

"Mangers live and die by their recruitment, rightly, it’s important at a club like Rangers. They have moved on players for a long period of time people thought had to be moved on.

"There was a lot of optimism in the summer. For a manager you have to have three key relationships to survive. A relationship with your fans, a relationship with your players and the board. If you lose any of those and certainly all three there is only one outcome.