Rangers head coach Derek McInnes has challenged Super Eagles defender Emmanuel Fernandez to rediscover his best form after a difficult beginning to the new season, Footynaija.com reports.
Fernandez enjoyed a remarkable debut campaign at Ibrox last season, winning Rangers’ Player of the Season award and earning a place in the PFA Team of the Season.
However, the Nigerian center-back has endured a frustrating start to the 26/27 campaign, with lapses in concentration contributing to costly moments against Jagiellonia Białystok and St. Mirren.
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McInnes has now called on the 25-year-old to raise his standards and work harder to reproduce the performances that made him one of Rangers’ standout players last season.
“Certainly you have to have that real focus and concentration and application on your way to try to get your best performances,” McInnes told the Scottish Sun.
“We have got good players at the club and a lot of potential at the club. It is up to us to realise that potential but players themselves have to take that on and be really focused and try to get the best out of themselves.
“Sometimes football is automatic, sometimes players have to work a little bit harder at their games.”
Fernandez will now be hoping to respond positively to his manager’s challenge and quickly rediscover the form that made him such an important figure for Rangers last season.
The defender’s impressive campaign had previously attracted interest from several European clubs, with Arsenal, Chelsea, Rennes and Borussia Dortmund reportedly monitoring his situation and his valuation placed around £20 million.
Fernandez now has the perfect opportunity to answer his manager on the pitch when Rangers welcome FK Jablonec to Ibrox tonight in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League play-off tie.
