Unbowed Wilfried Nancy shows no fear of the sack but the Parkhead faithful display fury following defeat.
Wilfried Nancy declared he was not afraid of losing his job, maintaining, “I believe we are really close to a turnaround,” despite moving dangerously close to being fired with a convincing setback against the Ibrox side.
A Second-Half Collapse Leads to Derby Loss
The home side were ahead Rangers at half-time but a disastrous second period let Rangers to move level on points with the defending league title holders. Nancy, who was appointed from the MLS, has now presided over six losses in his first eight matches.
“There is unity with the board,” stated the manager.
Asked directly about his own future, the 48-year-old said: “It’s not on my mind. I concentrate on working out methods to help my team to improve on small moments.
Fan Fury Outside Parkhead
Celtic’s support voiced their fury – towards the hierarchy – by gathering at full time. Club directors are thought to be considering to return to Martin O’Neill, who enjoyed a successful temporary stint before Nancy was hired, should a change be made.
“Wins and losses [that leads to pressure]. And that’s the truth for the moment. However when I say this is the reality, that is not a sign that I am giving up. Absolutely not. My point is we are really close, extremely close to change the narrative.”
“Really, Really Close”
He highlights the fact Celtic show good levels for 45 minutes at a time. In fact, if not for poor finishing they could have been more than 1-0 up. “There were positives except the fact that we didn't take a second goal,” he said. “I know that we lost, but it's important to stay fair.
“The performance we had at stages was exceptionally high. That is a fact. And I would not talk like that if it was different. That is the reason, in terms of results, I mentioned it's a repeating pattern. Which is why I said that we are really close to things turning around. But for the moment: the fine margins.”
“We produced many, many good things that we did, as was the case today. The issue now comes down to consistency. My message would be different if it was not the case. This is why I am a big believer the team can to get back on track.”
Opposition Reaction Outlook
The victorious boss was cautious about a serious challenge despite what appeared to be a huge result. “One match at a time, so we can really build up a challenge,” he said. “The belief in the group is excellent.”
