Derek McInnes, the newly appointed manager of Rangers, has received a four-match touchline ban due to his criticism of match officials while he was in charge of Hearts. This suspension includes three domestic games and one match that is suspended, stemming from remarks he made following Motherwell's controversial loss to Celtic last season.

The controversy arose after Celtic was awarded a late penalty that led to their victory, a decision McInnes described as "actually quite disgusting." He highlighted that this penalty, given for handball against Sam Nicholson after a review by video assistant referee Andrew Dallas, significantly impacted the Scottish Premiership title race, which Hearts ultimately lost to Celtic on the final day.

As a result of this ban, McInnes will miss the following matches:

• Dundee United on July 31
• Hibernian at Ibrox on August 9
• League Cup second-round tie on August 15/16

The fourth match of the suspension will only come into effect if he breaches the disciplinary rule again this season. This incident follows a similar case involving former Motherwell player Elliot Watt, who was also banned for criticizing a penalty awarded to Celtic.

The Scottish FA emphasizes that such criticisms violate disciplinary rule 72, which prohibits head coaches from questioning the integrity or competence of match officials. McInnes's comments not only drew scrutiny but also led to a formal notice of complaint from the FA.