Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells did not return to the New York Giants' sideline after winning his second Super Bowl in four seasons. Tom Coughlin has stuck around for three seasons since winning his second ring, and the team has stumbled to a 19-23 record since.

But according to Parcells, that lackluster record should not deny Coughlin the opportunity to turn the team around.

Responding to criticism of Coughlin's dismissal, Parcells questioned why the Giants would be motivated to fire their coach. "The question is, OK, you want to fire him, who are you going to get that's better?" said Parcells in an interview on "The Michael Kay Show" on ESPN New York 98.7 FM.

"It ends for all of us at some point in time, but we're not talking about someone that's incompetent here. His history shows that he's not incompetent," said Parcells.

Former Giants Tiki Barber and Antonio Pierce have both called for Coughlin to be fired, accusing their him losing his grip over the locker room. Parcells did not agree, saying, "Losing the players, losing the team, I don't know where that comes from. It sure doesn't seem to be coming out of the locker room itself. It's coming from ancillary sources and people that used to play."

Parcells says that the Giants' problems should not be blamed on their championship-duo of coach and quarterback, referring to Coughlin and Eli Manning. Instead, he listed personnel deficiencies on the offensive and defensive lines and at linebacker and injuries at wide receiver as key reasons for the team's struggles. "You're not playing solitaire out there," said Parcells. "You have to have enough help to be functional, and right now, I think the situation with their offensive line is a very difficult situation for any QB."

Parcells firmly believes that Coughlin should not have to pay for the Giants' lost season. "I know who can coach and who can't coach," Parcells said, "and this guy can coach."