'It feels like I've been to war, this window' - McInnes on transfers

[SNS] Derek McInnes admits he took "a huge sigh of relief" when the summer transfer window closed and hopes it will bring "clarity and calmness" to Rangers. In total, the Ibrox club signed 14 players, with striker Kevin Kelsy and winger Badredine Bouanani arriving on Thursday shortly before the deadline. McInnes described this summer as the "longest window I've ever known" and is glad all the dealing is over for now. "We all took a huge sigh of relief when the window closed," the Ibrox manager said before Saturday's Scottish Premiership visit of Motherwell. "It feels like I've been to war, this window, to be honest, it feels like the longest window I've ever known and there's always so much to consider. "We've managed to get a lot of what we were after but I think it's fair to say we never got everything we were looking for from the window. There's no manager out there that would probably get everything they wanted. We've got to be pleased that we've done so much work. "We've got a strong squad, certainly strong in terms of numbers as well, then it's important now we just knuckle down and get on with the job in hand, because I think that clarity and calmness is so important for a club, but more importantly for a dressing room." After the disappointment of their European exit, Rangers have won successive Scottish Premiership matches. "The dressing room, over the last couple of weeks in particular, has been so strong and so together," McInnes explained. "It actually feels like a football dressing room, and the humour and the togetherness and how we work has felt far more like what I would expect my dressing rooms to look like, to behave like. "That's important when you come through some adversity and obviously with some stinging results already. We've bounced back really well in terms of two tough away games. It's that sort of spirit and togetherness that helps you get through the tough times." McInnes also believes Belgium midfielder Nico Raskin can play a key part in his dressing room. Amid two failed bids for Raskin from Turkish club Besiktas, McInnes "feels that his experience as a midfielder can help us in more challenges ahead". "I just want the players not to waste their minutes," the manager added. "Don't waste your opportunity," McInnes said. "Don't see any day as a lazy day. "You train professionally and you train as if you're trying to get in the team on a Saturday. So, with all that in mind, I feel also that having that togetherness, the window closed now, competition for places, hopefully those standards can be driven by each other every day."