No Surprise, Handley Fired : Pro football: He couldn’t keep Giants near top after Parcells retired.

George Young told Ray Handley he was fired when they sat down Monday to evaluate the Giants’ 6-10 season. But in reality the general manager knew long ago that Handley could not reverse the downward spiral the New York Giants have endured in his two seasons as head coach.

“Your team has to feel certain that it has a chance to win,” Young said Wednesday, while announcing Handley was out after a 14-18 record in two seasons. “If your players feel that the coach is going to take them to nirvana, that’s a big thing. When you feel your players are having trouble, whether they’re right or wrong, it’s tough. It gets to be to a point of credibility whether it’s a real or unreal credibility.”

Handley had no credibility with his players, so Young’s decision was not surprising after two non-playoff seasons and feuds with players and reporters.

Linebacker Pepper Johnson, one of Handley’s most vocal critics in 1992, told the Associated Press: “Some guys are meant to be head coaches. I don’t know if Ray was.”

Johnson still seemed annoyed that Handley worked with new defensive coordinator Rod Rust to change the defense to a read-and-react scheme in 1992.

“If he was head coach on a team that didn’t have a winning tradition, that’s one thing,” Johnson said. “But we had a style we were used to winning with, and Ray wanted to change it. Some spoke about it publicly and others privately. It was a touchy situation.”

It is believed that Boston College Coach Tom Coughlin, a former Giant assistant, will be at the top of Young’s list for Handley’s replacement. Other possible candidates include Dave Wannstedt, Dallas Cowboys’ defensive coordinator, former Denver Bronco coach Dan Reeves and former Giant coach Bill Parcells.