Manny Fernandez admits there has been a lack of fight within the Rangers squad this term after seeing their Premiership title dreams turn into a nightmare for Danny Rohl.
The German suffered a third consecutive post-split defeat on Sunday as Celtic ran out 3-1 winners at Parkhead. That loss came on the back of those to Motherwell and Hearts that ruled Rangers out of the running to be crowned champions.
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The performances and results over the last three matches have raised huge questions and concerns amongst a scunnered support. And Fernandez has set alarm bells ringing by highlighting one potential cause for a wretched run of form and another failed campaign.
“I couldn’t pinpoint an issue,” Fernandez said when asked for a reason behind the post-split collapse. “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.”
Rohl has come under significant pressure from fans in the aftermath of the derby defeat. Mikey Moore gave Rangers an early lead, but the visitors soon crumbled and two second half goals from Daizen Maeda won it for Celtic after Yang’s equaliser.
Concerns over the mental strength of many members of this squad have been long-standing amongst the Ibrox crowd. The final matches of the campaign against Hibernian and Falkirk are meaningless in league terms as Rangers search for answers on and off the park once again.
“This is going to happen when you lose three games in-a-row,” Fernandez said on the questions over mentality. “I feel like when it comes to the point where you could potentially win the title people are going to question your mentality.
“Look, I don’t think it has anything to do with the mentality, I just think there are moments where we need to do better. Sometimes, this happens in football, sometimes you come under duress, and we just didn’t come through it. I wouldn’t say it has anything to do with mentality.
“I don’t look in to what fans say about the manager, but I know about the manager 100 per cent. I know that he got us through moments in the season where everybody thought the season was over and there wouldn’t be a title race for us.
"I feel like maybe we went into it with the wrong mindset. I back the manager 100 per cent. It is the players who should maybe take it, because we didn’t do the job on the pitch and it is something that we should improve on.”
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