GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MAY 10: Rangers' Emmanuel Fernandez (L) as Celtic's Daizen Maeda (R) celebrates after scoring to make it 2-1 during a William Hill Premiership match between Celtic and Rangers at Celtic Park, on May 10, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Manny Fernandez has admitted that there is a lack of fight among his Ibrox team-mates.
The former Peterborough defender had a howler as his side lost 3-1 to Celtic to end their faint title hopes.
After a 6-3 win at Falkirk Danny Rohl’s side went into the post split fixtures as favourites to become champions.
Three defeats later it is a straight shoot out between Celtic and Hearts to lift the title.
Rohl has almost a brand new squad to work with.
Only James Tavernier, John Souttar and Jack Butland have survived through from the title bottlers of 2023/24.
A defeat at Ross County was followed by a draw at Dundee as Phil Clement’s title dream came to a sudden halt.
Three trophy wins in 14 years is a decent record for a new club.
FERNANDEZ JOINS THE CYCLE OF FAILURE
At Ibrox that is unacceptable. Fans now hound managers out after less than a year in charge.
The Cycle of Failure shows no sign of ending with the attitude of the players against Hearts and Celtic being called out.
Fernandez is in his first season at Ibrox but is now part of the squad that finished trophy-less and third in a two horse race.
Speaking at Celtic Park Fernandez said:
I couldn’t pinpoint an issue. I just feel like maybe we needed to have a bit more fight. I can’t say we have been unlucky.
I can take stick for it because there are certain moments I probably should have defended better, but there is nothing I can really say about my team-mates. I will probably just look at myself if anything.
Yes, 100 per cent I would totally understand that [if there were questions over a lack of fight]. We knew it was going to be a fight. There were moments in games where we had fight. But in football there are going to be moments where you are going to struggle and go under in the 90 minutes.
I feel that, as a young team if we are going to grow, if you are going to struggle you stick together and all defend together. Then, when you come out of it, you have opportunities to score. That is something we have to improve on.
I obviously apologise to the fans first and foremost. I feel like there are still a lot of strong players here, young players. They are going to be in their second season and now they can show they are really worth it in their second season and they are going to fight.
That isn’t really the message to send out to fans brought up on a misplaced superiority complex.
With two matches to be played the post mortem is well underway.
Danny Rohl looks like being the next managerial victim, how long Andrew Cavenagh is prepared to hang around is the next question.
Fernandez is the latest bang average talent to be hyped up out of all recognition.
Apparently major clubs in England, Germany and Italy are chasing his signature.
Expectations of bidding starting at £25m seem far fetched for a 24-year-old that has finished third in the SPFL with one season of failure in the Europa League on his UEFA CV.
If him and his teammates have no fight his Scummy fu**in club certainly has for sure…
Checked in on Wallow Wallow earlier and they’ve a six page thread about them officially demanding “SHOWDOWN TALKS” with The SFA about Walsh and his team on Sunday…
Honestly you couldn’t mark their brass fu**in necks with a fuckin blow torch neither you could…
Clearly timed to put Beaton and Dallas under pressure to thwart Celtic tomorrow night…
And they might just as they don’t need much outside encouragement…
They obviously can’t win it so their Calvinistic brethren is the next best option and they’re trying to seize any opportunity…
We are getting no 50:50 decisions tomorrow night for sure…
Sevco are a fu**in utter utter CANCER for Scotland !