NafisaThe Rangers boss has been able to patrol the touchline throughout August, but that situation could change dramatically after the Scottish FA confirmed that his appeal will be heard by an appellate tribunal on Monday, August 31.
McInnes is challenging the three-match immediate touchline ban handed to him over comments made while he was manager of Hearts. The punishment followed his description of a penalty awarded to Celtic as “disgusting”, which was deemed a breach of Scottish FA Rule 72.
Because Rangers appealed the original decision, the suspension of the punishment has remained in place, allowing McInnes to continue managing from the technical area.
But that reprieve could soon come to an end.
The tribunal will determine whether the punishment should be overturned, reduced or potentially replaced with a financial penalty. If the appeal fails and the three-match ban remains intact, Rangers could be forced into a huge change of plans at a particularly awkward point in the season.
McInnes would miss three Premiership fixtures — away trips to Falkirk and Motherwell, along with another league fixture — before also being ruled out of Rangers’ Premier Sports Cup quarter-final against Celtic at Ibrox on September 13.
That is the fixture Rangers supporters will be watching most closely.
The possibility of McInnes being absent from the touchline for his first Old Firm meeting as Rangers manager would represent a significant blow, particularly with the cup tie being played at Ibrox.
Instead of being in the dugout for one of the biggest games of his Rangers career, McInnes could potentially be forced to watch from the stands while his coaching staff take charge on the touchline.
There is, however, a route back for the Rangers boss.
Should the three-match suspension be served without further complications, McInnes would be available to return for the September 20 meeting at Celtic Park.
That means the August 31 tribunal could have a direct impact on which of the two September Old Firm encounters Rangers’ new manager is actually allowed to oversee from the technical area.
Rangers and McInnes will now present their case to the appellate tribunal, with the club hoping to avoid the original punishment altogether.
For McInnes, the timing could hardly be more significant.
The former Hearts boss is trying to establish himself at Ibrox, and missing a cup meeting with Celtic so early into his Rangers reign would undoubtedly be an unwanted complication.
The decision on August 31 will therefore be followed closely around Ibrox — because it could determine whether McInnes gets his first taste of an Old Firm derby from the Rangers dugout or has to watch the action from elsewhere.
Nafisa
