Derek McInnes directly addresses Hearts manager links as Kilmarnock boss names where his full focus sits

Kilmarnock Manager Derek McInnes | SNS Group

Derek McInnes has delivered a direct response to links over him becoming the next Hearts manager.

The Kilmarnock boss has guided the Rugby Park club back from the Championship to the top flight. He kept them up in his first season before delivering European football last campaign, and securing a win over Tromso in the Europa Conference League qualifiers.

McInnes also had a lengthy stint at Aberdeen where he won the League Cup and regularly delivered European football and top three finishes in his time at the helm. Now some pundits and the bookmakers have touted him or have him listed as a possible Hearts manager.

Steven Naismith was sacked as head coach at the weekend after a 2-1 defeat to St Mirren inflicted an eighth-straight loss upon them and kept them bottom of the league. Speaking at his press conference ahead of Kilmarnock’s match with Dundee United, McInnes was asked about links, putting his full focus on matters at Rugby Park.

He said: “I don’t take any notice of it. My job and focus is here. I think I am at an age now where you get linked with things, or your job is under pressure, people talking about it... my job is fully on Kilmarnock. Going back to an earlier question, it’s just about making sure we are the team I want us to be.

“Being relevant again as we were last season. People giving us plenty plaudits, mixing it and landing a few blows on the bigger teams with bigger budgets. I think we can be that team and I actually think we have the potential to be better than last year. That excites me and hopefully we can start by getting a winning performance again on Saturday.”