Hearts face crisis or fresh start after McInnes and Shankland depart in 2026

Hearts lose manager Derek McInnes and striker Lawrence Shankland to Rangers just weeks after nearly winning the Premiership title.

Hearts endure agonising title loss After nine months of largely continuous joy for Hearts fans, the last four weeks have been distinctly painful. On the pitch, the long-term Scottish Premiership leaders missed out in agonising fashion on their first league title in 66 years in the final minutes of the final day. The dust had barely settled on that controversial climax when, nine days later, captain and top scorer Lawrence Shankland left for Rangers after they activated a little-known clause in his contract to sign him for free. Now the head coach who steered them to their best campaign in decades has also headed to Ibrox. ## Rangers move quickly for McInnes Not long after reports surfaced that Rangers had been approached for Danny Rohl by the side that finished third in the Austrian Bundesliga, it also emerged the Ibrox club had moved for McInnes. The speed at which it all progressed suggests Hearts are unlikely to have been caught off guard. Former Tynecastle manager Craig Levein reckons part-owner Tony Bloom's revered analytics firm will already have replacements for the 54-year-old in mind. "Jamestown don't just look at players, they look at managers as well, so I'm pretty sure they'll have already started," he said. ## Hearts' Jamestown model under scrutiny Jamestown being heavily involved in player recruitment was part of the deal McInnes had to accept when making the move from Kilmarnock last summer - and his successor will have to adapt similarly. It is a model many clubs now follow and is therefore unlikely to put off any candidates - although it could be argued only three of the 15 signings made since Bloom invested in Hearts have become starters. Levein, though, is certain being "the closest any non-Old Firm team has come to winning the league in 40 years" showed that "Hearts have been elevated by Tony Bloom's arrival". ## McPherson brands departures a massive blow Former Hearts and Rangers centre-back Dave McPherson thinks losing McInnes and Scotland striker Shankland is "a massive blow". Beni Baningime has also left at the end of his contract and fellow central midfielder Cammy Devlin, currently at the World Cup with Australia, could do likewise as he weighs up offers from Hearts and other clubs. "They're built in such a way that, if they do lose somebody, they've got things in the background to replace a player or a manager - so I've got every confidence in Hearts doing really, really well next year," he said. ## McGowan sees positives in leadership change Former Hearts utility man Ryan McGowan is far from despondent either. He says Hearts fans "are right behind Jamestown and Tony Bloom" and that McInnes' exit "will not be the worst thing that will ever happen" for all parties. "Derek McInnes did exceptionally well last season - he was 10 minutes away from being immortal - but I think he might be thinking 'am I going to do as well with Hearts next season?'," the Livingston defender said. Hearts, meanwhile, might have been happy to take the compensation for McInnes. ## Potential candidates for Hearts manager role Both Brighton & Hove Albion and Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium - the other clubs under Bloom's influence - have enjoyed continued success despite managerial changes. However, Hearts turned to McInnes after the first 'Jamestown era' appointment only lasted six months, with former Queens Park Rangers and Blackpool boss Neil Critchley being dismissed following a failure to finish in the top six. They must now decide whether to repeat the strategy of employing someone with knowledge of Scottish football, or gamble on an outsider. ## Local candidates McGlynn and Pressley considered John McGlynn is the most obvious of those local candidates, having secured a sixth-place finish for Falkirk on their return to the top flight after leading them to two successive promotions. The 64-year-old spent 10 years at Tynecastle at the start of his coaching career and was caretaker twice before the first of two spells in charge of Raith Rovers. However, his return to financially-troubled Hearts in summer 2012 only lasted eight months as he was dismissed following disappointing league results, despite leading the side to the League Cup final. Steven Pressley is another former Hearts caretaker working in the Premiership. The 52-year-old ex-captain had a troubled start at Dundee last season but steered them away from relegation. ## McGowan predicts unknown will take over McGowan, though, reckons "it will be an unknown that comes in". Whoever gets the job, Levein thinks he will have to match McInnes' ability to manage an "enormous" squad. "What hasn't been spoken about is how Derek managed to keep the players together," he added. "That's one of the most difficult things to do - keep everyone happy - and he did it." ## McInnes' legacy and Hearts' next steps There is no doubt McInnes was good for Hearts, but the relationship worked both ways. Player identification via Jamestown helped him build a side capable of challenging for the title and, as a result, further enhanced his reputation. He is now gone, so where do Hearts go from here? The club and its fans may feel battered and bruised, but in a matter of weeks, Hearts will be preparing for a Champions League qualifying campaign. ## Squad faces further uncertainty ahead There may yet be further changes. Devlin has still to decide whether his future lies in Edinburgh, while forward Claudio Braga's outstanding season is unlikely to have gone unnoticed elsewhere. Hearts' achievements last term attracted attention far beyond Scotland and, with Champions League football on offer, there is unlikely to be any shortage of interest in the vacant head coach position. McGlynn remains highly regarded by some within the club and is believed to have been a strong contender for the role 12 months ago. ## Rebuilding challenges for new manager Several new signings will arrive for pre-season training and the dressing room will have a very different look and feel. Shankland, centre-back Frankie Kent, Baningime and veteran goalkeeper Craig Gordon have all departed, while Devlin could yet follow. They are all influential figures, while centre-half Craig Halkett is unlikely to feature before Christmas after suffering another long-term injury. Whoever succeeds McInnes faces a significant challenge, with rebuilding confidence, belief and leadership within the squad among the immediate priorities. ## Last season sets high expectations Last season's Hearts side set a benchmark for those who follow. Whether a new head coach and a reshaped squad can match - or even surpass - what was an extraordinary campaign is undoubtedly a difficult challenge.