Manny Fernandez has properly grown on me, to the point I’m now looking at him as one of the first names in the Rangers starting XI. Not in a hype way either. Just in that simple, dependable sense where you feel calmer watching him do his job.
The big thing for me is his composure. He’s got that calm head you want in a centre-half, especially at a club like Rangers where one wobble gets magnified. At times he even reminds me of Jean-Alain Boumsong in terms of how assured he looks when it’s getting a bit frantic. Boumsong, for my money, was a brilliant all-round centre-half, and that’s decent company to be mentioned alongside at all.
Dominant in the air, useful at both ends
There’s a physicality to Fernandez that just suits Scottish football. He looks dominant in the air, and not just when he’s heading clear under pressure. He’s the type that can attack the first ball, clean up the second, and suddenly you’ve stopped a move before it becomes a moment of panic.
And it’s not only defensive. In both boxes he offers something. Defensively, he’s aggressive without looking reckless most of the time. Going the other way, you can see how he’d be a handful at set pieces too. That matters over a season, because tight games in the Premiership often come down to who wins those wee battles.
He can play, not just defend
What I really like is that he doesn’t hide when Rangers are trying to build from the back. He looks comfortable taking the ball, shifting it, and finding a pass rather than just launching it for the sake of it. That helps the whole team keep tempo and stay on the front foot.
He’s also not a slouch. A decent turn of pace, strong in the challenge, and generally switched on. That mix gives you options tactically. You can squeeze up a bit higher because you’ve got someone back there who can handle himself.
Rough edges? Aye. But that’s normal
Truth is, he’s not the finished article yet. There are moments where he takes chances, and you can tell there are still a few rough edges to polish. But that’s exactly why selling him now would feel daft.
With maturity and experience, those wee risks should get ironed out, and if that happens you’ve got a top defender on your hands. For me, I wouldn’t contemplate selling him unless an astronomical offer came in. Even then, I’d rather Rangers got a couple of years more out of him first, because players like that don’t grow on trees.
Related Articles
About Rangers News Views
Rangers News Views offers daily Glasgow Rangers coverage including match reaction, transfer analysis, SPFL context, tactical breakdowns and opinion-led articles written by supporters for supporters.
