Emmanuel Fernandez's brother Joe Fernandez has spoken about the criticism directed towards the Rangers defender in recent weeks, urging supporters to remember the human being behind the performances.
Joe travelled to Glasgow to watch Rangers defeat Aberdeen 1-0 in Saturday's Premier Sports Cup semi-final at Hampden, securing their place in the first domestic cup final of the season.
Following the match, he shared his thoughts in a TikTok video, praising his Nigerian international brother's contribution while addressing questions he had received about Emmanuel's mental health amid increased scrutiny of his performances.
Fernandez mentally strong, says brother
Joe admitted it was not something the brothers had specifically discussed, making clear that supporters would need to speak directly to the Rangers defender for an answer.
“I had a lot of people come up to me today and ask me if Manny's mental health is well with all the criticism,” he said.
“And upon reflection, it's not something that we've discussed. You would have to ask him.
“My opinion, he's been through much tougher times in his life. So, he's good.”
Fernandez plays through injury
Joe was particularly impressed by his brother's determination against Aberdeen, revealing that Emmanuel had played through discomfort to help Rangers reach the final.
“Manny was a soldier out there. Played almost 90 minutes on one ankle and still managed to defend every draw and put in a solid defensive performance,” he added.
McInnes backs defender
The defender has faced criticism following some recent performances, with questions raised about his consistency since joining Rangers.
However, manager Derek McInnes defended Fernandez in the build-up to the semi-final, following as tough night at Tynecastle where the 25-year-old received flack for his performance against Hearts, taking issue with the tendency for the defender to become a talking point primarily when things do not go well.
“I only get asked about Fernandez when he has a poor game. If anybody watched it, nobody asked me about Fernandez on Saturday. He was outstanding on Saturday,” McInnes said.
“He looks like he could have played St Johnstone himself at the back. So, I understand when players drop because he's got such a high ceiling and when he's good, he's very good. But that's the same for a lot of players.
“Last night wasn't on Manny Fernandes. Last night was a collective and I never get asked about Manny when he does really well. He's been a big part of our better performances this season,” he added.
Rangers reach Premier Sports Cup final
Joe was pleased to see Rangers find a way past Aberdeen, although admitted the performance had left him anxious before the decisive goal arrived.
Having made the six-and-a-half-hour journey to Glasgow, he said he felt Rangers had the opportunity to win by a more comfortable margin but was concerned they were not making the most of their possession.
“I felt like the boys could have won 3-0 or 4-0 against Aberdeen. But it just felt like the game was missing something,” he said.
“They had 90 per cent possession first and second half, but I was still anxious because I felt like if you have possession and you don't use that momentum to score, it usually comes back to bite you.”
The eventual breakthrough through Ryan Naderi near the end of the second half ensured Joe would be making another trip to Hampden for the final, where the Gers will play Hibernian, with the Fernandez family now able to look forward to the prospect of silverware.
He believes Rangers deserve their opportunity and hopes they can use the achievement as a platform for the remainder of the season.
“I'm happy for them. I think they deserve to go and win it and push on for the rest of the season,” he said.
“Let's remember though, everyone's human. So, positivity goes a long way.”
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