- Manny Fernandez rejects claims Rangers’ 3-1 Celtic defeat is due to mentality issues.
- Defender insists players must improve performances and handle pressure better in key moments.
- Fernandez publicly backs Danny Rohl despite growing scrutiny after three straight defeats.
Rangers defender Manny Fernandez has moved to defend the squad and manager Danny Rohl after the 3-1 defeat to Celtic, insisting the recent criticism should not be reduced to issues of mentality.
Speaking after the Old Firm loss, Fernandez acknowledged the impact of three consecutive defeats that have ended Rangers’ Premiership title hopes and confirmed a third-place finish, but rejected suggestions that the team’s mindset had collapsed at a crucial stage of the season.
Mentality not an issue despite evidence
“This is going to happen when you lose three games in a row,” he said.
“I feel like when it comes to the point where you could potentially win a title, people are going to question the mentality.
“But look, I don’t think it’s anything to do with mentality, I just think there’s moments where we need to do better.
“Sometimes this happens in football and sometimes you’ve got to come under duress and we just didn’t come through it.
“I wouldn’t say it’s anything to do with mentality.”
Danny Rohl backed by Manny Fernandez
Rangers’ defeat at Celtic Park effectively ended their title hopes and extended a difficult run of results that has intensified scrutiny on Rohl’s position.
Despite that, Fernandez was steadfast in his backing of the head coach.
“I don’t look into what fans say about the manager, but I know I back the manager 100 per cent,” the 24-year-old said.
“He got us through moments in the season where everyone thought the season was over and there wouldn’t be a title race for us and he got us back into a title race.
“I feel like maybe we went into it with maybe the wrong mind. It’s the players that we should take it because maybe we just didn’t do the right job on the pitch.
“It’s something that we need to improve on.”
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The Nigerian international’s comments underline a dressing-room stance that responsibility lies with on-pitch execution rather than mentality or coaching decisions, even as pressure continues to mount at Ibrox following another damaging Old Firm defeat.
