As bad as Derek McInnes' Sunderland rejection looked, the club are better off without

The Aberdeen manager chose to stay in Scotland rather than manage Sunderland, but that could be a strong blessing in disguise.

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes

While Sunderland fans will – perhaps understandably – be the butt of many a joke after Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes rejected the chance to leave Scotland for the Black Cats, as reported by BBC Sport, this could be the best possible outcome for the recently relegated side.

McInnes has done a good job at Aberdeen and there’s no going away from that, but it’s very much worth noting that he hasn’t really filled the void Rangers left when they were sent tumbling into Division Three, and while they finished above the Ibrox club this season, it’s a Rangers still in transition.

The Scottish League Cup was a success in 2014, granted, but that’s all he won in charge of the second best team in Scotland – even a Rangers side in the Scottish Championship managed to win silverware by winning the Scottish Challenge Cup in 2016, while also reaching the Scottish Cup final the same year.

Then you look at why McInnes had to return north of the border to repair his reputation as a manager, after it was shattered following a disastrous spell in the Championship with Bristol City, which culminated in the Robins losing seven straight games – leaving them eight points adrift of safety at the bottom of the league – and McInnes getting sacked.

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes celebrates at full time

As a manager, he’s probably found his level in the Scottish Premier League, and it will be very interesting to see whether his Aberdeen side can hold off a Rangers side ever improving and a newly returned Hibernian managed by Neil Lennon next season.

With regards to Sunderland however, for a club that needs so much work done with regards to the playing staff and with the stakes as high as they are, McInnes was never going to be the right appointment – and it’s best for all parties concerned that he stayed with Aberdeen.

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes celebrates at full time