Emmanuel Fernandez admits he is enjoying the best spell of his Rangers career so far, with a run of games, a growing goal tally and renewed confidence helping him settle into life at Ibrox.
The centre-back, who signed in the summer from Peterborough United, broke into the team following Nasser Djiga’s departure for the African Cup of Nations, believes both his own form and the club’s recent momentum have created a positive atmosphere around the squad.
“I’m feeling great, to be fair,” Fernandez said.
“I’d like to think I’ve been playing well so far. I got my opportunity late, I’ve been getting a run of results and I couldn’t be more happy.”
A Sign of Growing Importance
Fernandez’s increasing status within the squad was underlined at the weekend when he was left out of a heavily-rotated Rangers side that cruised to a 5–0 win over Annan Athletic in the Scottish Cup.
While the result allowed manager Danny Rohl to rest several key players, Fernandez’s omission was viewed as a sign of his growing importance ahead of the club’s European and domestic priorities – particularly with Rangers UEFA coefficient lead now under threat.
With automatic UEFA Champions League qualification for the 2025–26 season potentially worth around £40 million, Rangers remaining UEFA Europa League fixtures carry significant financial and strategic weight, even with knockout qualification no longer possible.
Kieran Dowell was among the scorers against Annan, but the midfielder is now set to depart Ibrox on loan to Hull City as Rangers continue to reshape their squad during the January window.
Set-Piece Success Paying Dividends
Much of Fernandez’s impact has come from set-pieces, where he has already scored five goals – an impressive return for a defender.
He credits Rangers set-piece coach Scott Fry for helping unlock that threat.
“I feel like Scott’s had a big impact,” he explained.
“He’s had a big impact on the team as well. We’ve scored a lot of goals from set-pieces and defensively we’re not conceding many either.
“I’m a player that gets into the box and when there’s an opportunity to score, I attack it.”
Fernandez revealed the work is done collectively rather than through individual drills.
“We do it as a group. Whatever role you’re given, you attack a certain area. Scott understands what I’m good at and leaves me isolated in scenarios where I can attack one-on-one.”
Despite his growing goal tally, Fernandez insists personal targets are not his priority.
“I don’t really set goal targets. I’m just trying to help the team win. As long as I keep goals out of our net and then score, I can’t be more grateful.”
Goal Rivalry with James Tavernier
Despite Rangers captain James Tavernier leading the club’s scoring charts, Fernandez says there is no competition between them.
“I haven’t really thought about it too much. I’ve seen I’m on five goals, but there are still a lot of attackers.
“Thelo [Aasgaard] has been scoring, more people will score, and our goals won’t just come from set-pieces. If I do score more, it happens, but we’ll just have to see.”
Confidence Growing Inside the Squad
The defender believes the mood inside the dressing room has shifted dramatically compared to the early part of the season.
“Personally, I’m happy. I wasn’t playing at the beginning of the season, now I’m in the team and we’re getting results.
“As a collective, you can feel the energy.
“Everyone’s happy, everyone’s smiling every day. I still feel there’s a lot more to come and we can push on even more.”
With five goals already, Fernandez was asked if double figures were realistic.
“I probably feel like I could do that, but hopefully it does happen.”
Dreaming of the UEFA Champions League
With Rangers coefficient position still giving them a pathway to automatic UEFA Champions League qualification if they win the Scottish Premiership, Fernandez admitted the prospect is something he allows himself to think about.
“It would be a surreal moment.
“Coming from where I’ve come from in my journey, if I was to ever qualify and play in the Champions League, I couldn’t ask for much more.
“It’s a dream that everyone wants to come true.”
Learning What It Means to Play for Rangers
Fernandez, who arrived from down south, admits the scale of Rangers only truly hit him after he joined.
“It’s a lot. When I first came, I never really knew what it would be like. People tell you it’s a big place, but when you come here, you do feel it.
“I like the challenge. I’m competitive and I’ll fight for the club.”
He says the culture around the city has helped him understand the expectations.
“Even my neighbours in my flat, you can tell how it feels to play for Rangers and what you need to do on the pitch.”
Support During Tough Early Months
The defender also opened up about the difficult period when he was not featuring regularly.
“Obviously, I have my family beside me, but the players in the changing room helped me too.
“A lot of players go through moments where they don’t play. I’ll give a big shout out to Rabbi [Matondo], who helped me stay focused. Tavernier, and John [Souttar] have helped me a lot as well.”
Old Firm Moment Brought It Home
One moment that stood out for Fernandez was the build-up to the away win at Celtic, when Rangers fans filled the away section hours before kick-off.
“I’d never been in a scenario like that. With my old teams, the away end isn’t even filled when you come out.
“To see something like that shows the support and the love we get and how big that game is for the club.”
Why a Strong European Mentality Still Matters
While Rangers UEFA Europa League campaign has not gone to plan, Fernandez insists the mentality remains unchanged – particularly with coefficient points still on offer.
“It hasn’t gone our way, but we still need a winning mentality. Every game we play, we need to win and give the fans something to be proud of.
“Just win every single game and see where that gets us.”
He also reflected on how different European football feels compared to his previous experiences.
“The biggest challenge is your concentration levels. You have to be switched on every moment.
“The atmosphere is different; you feel a different energy. You get nerves, but it’s about getting through that.
“Playing in Europe is something you’ve always wanted as a kid.”
Competition Boosting Standards
With new signings arriving, Tochi Chukwueni, Andreas Skov Olsen and Tuur Rommens, Fernandez believes competition for places is healthy.
“It’s good for the players. More competition is coming in, so places are up for grabs.
“You just have to push, push, push.”
Rangers have been linked today with a move for Norwegian midfielder Jens Hjertø-Dahl, but no official approach has been made as-of-now.
Partnership with John Souttar
Finally, Fernandez praised his defensive partnership with John Souttar.
“I’ve never really played with someone older than me beside me. I’ve usually been the older one.
“Having someone older beside me is very good. The communication is good and I’m enjoying it.”