Unbowed Celtic's manager shows no fear of being fired yet Celtic fans unleash fury after loss.
The Celtic boss insisted he was not afraid of dismissal, claiming, “I believe we are extremely close to a turnaround,” despite sliding worryingly close to being fired with a convincing defeat by Rangers.
A Second-Half Collapse Results in Derby Disaster
The home side had led their oldest rivals at half-time but a collapse after the break let Rangers to draw level on points with the current league title holders. The former MLS manager, who was brought in in December, has now presided over six losses in eight matches.
“There is unity with the board,” stated the manager.
Questioned about his own future, Nancy replied: “It’s not on my mind. My focus is on discovering solutions to help my team to excel on details.
Fan Fury Erupts
Celtic’s support made their feelings clear – directed at the dugout and directors – in their hundreds outside the stadium. The hierarchy would be most likely to return to the interim manager, who enjoyed a successful temporary stint previously, if the Frenchman were sacked.
“Wins and losses [that leads to pressure]. That is the reality for the moment. Yet by saying this is the reality, it doesn’t mean that I am a defeatist guy. No. What I mean we are really close, imminently close to reverse our form.”
Nancy’s Persistent Belief
Nancy highlights the fact the side play well for 45 minutes at a time. For instance, were it not for missed chances they would have been greater than 1-0 up. “I saw enough except the fact that we missed a second goal,” he said. “I accept that we lost, but I have also to be fair.
“The level we had at certain moments was really, really, really high. This is the reality. I could not speak so positively if it was different. That is the reason, when it comes to wins, I said we've seen this before. That’s why I said that a change is coming to getting it right. Currently: the fine margins.”
“We produced plenty of positives that we did, once more. But now it’s about consistency. My outlook would not be if I didn't believe it. This is why I am convinced we will manage to get back on track.”
Röhl’s Cautious Stance
Danny Röhl played down talk of a title charge despite what seemed like a statement victory. “One match at a time, so we can really build up a challenge,” he said. “The belief in the group is immense.”