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Wilfried Nancy stated he was not afraid of the sack, asserting, “We are extremely close to changing our fortunes,” in the wake of edging perilously close to being fired with a convincing setback against Rangers.

A Second-Half Capitulation Sees Derby Loss

The Hoops were in front Rangers at half-time but a second-half capitulation let Danny Röhl’s team to move level on points with the current Scottish Premiership champions. Nancy, who was brought in from Columbus Crew, has now overseen six losses in his last eight matches.

“We are together at the club,” said the manager.

Pressed on whether he was concerned, the 48-year-old replied: “It’s not on my mind. I concentrate on discovering solutions to aid my players to improve on details.

Protest Erupts

Celtic’s support displayed their anger – towards the dugout and directors – by gathering at Parkhead. The board are thought to be considering to return to Martin O’Neill, who steered the club during a temporary stint last year, if the Frenchman were sacked.

“It’s the results [that leads to pressure]. That is the reality for the moment. However when I say that’s how it is, it doesn’t mean that I am a defeatist guy. Not at all. The message is we are on the cusp, really, really close to change the narrative.”

Focus on the Details

Nancy highlights the fact Celtic can perform strongly for 45 minutes at a time. Indeed, were it not for missed chances they would have been better than 1-0 up. “The performance had merit other than the fact that we missed our chances,” he said. “I know that we lost, but it's important to stay objective.

“The level we had at stages 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. Which is why I said that we are really close to things turning around. But for the moment: the fine margins.”

“I saw a lot of encouraging signs that we did, once more. However is consistency. My narrative would be different if I didn't believe it. That’s why I am a big believer we will manage to get back on track.”

Opposition Reaction Response

Rangers manager was cautious about a championship push even after what appeared to be a statement victory. “One match at a time, so we can really build up momentum,” he said. “The confidence in the group is outstanding.”