Unbowed Wilfried Nancy shows no fear of being fired yet the Parkhead faithful show fury following loss.
The under-pressure manager declared he had no concerns about the sack, maintaining, “I believe we are extremely close to a turnaround,” in the wake of moving dangerously close to the chopping block with a convincing setback against the Ibrox side.
Another Collapse Leads to Derby Loss
The Hoops had led Rangers at the break but a collapse after the break allowed Danny Röhl’s team to pull level on points with the reigning Scottish Premiership champions. The former MLS manager, who was hired in December, has now presided over six defeats in his first eight fixtures.
“The board and I are united at the club,” insisted the manager.
Questioned about his own future, Nancy responded: “It’s not on my mind. My focus is on finding ways to aid my players to excel on details.
Fan Fury Outside Parkhead
Hundreds of supporters made their feelings clear – directed at the dugout and directors – in their hundreds at Parkhead. The board are thought to be considering to bring back the former boss, who had a fruitful interim spell previously, if the Frenchman were sacked.
“The outcomes [that leads to pressure]. So this is the truth for the moment. Yet when I say this is the reality, that is not a sign that I am a defeatist guy. No. My point is we are really close, imminently close to change the narrative.”
“Really, Really Close”
Nancy continues to cling to the fact Celtic can perform strongly for 45 minutes at a time. For instance, were it not for poor finishing they would have been more than 1-0 up. “I saw enough other than the fact that we haven’t scored more goals,” he said. “I accept that we lost, but it's important to stay objective.
“The level we had at certain moments was exceptionally high. That is a fact. I wouldn't say that if it was not the case. But that’s why, when it comes to wins, I noted this is the same story. That’s why I said that we are really close to things turning around. Currently: small things.”
“We produced a lot of encouraging signs that we did, as was the case today. However is sustaining it. My outlook would be different the same. Therefore I firmly believe we’re going to be able to turn things around.”
The Rangers Boss Response
Danny Röhl played down talk of a serious challenge even after what felt like a statement victory. “Step by step, and we can develop a challenge,” he said. “The belief in the squad is outstanding.”