Bullish Nancy does not fear the sack yet supporters unleash anger following defeat.
The Celtic boss declared he did not fear losing his job, asserting, “We are really close to things turning around,” in the wake of edging perilously close to the exit with a heavy setback against Rangers.
A Second-Half Collapse Leads to Derby Defeat
The home side were ahead the visitors at the interval but a collapse after the break let Rangers to draw level on points with the current league title holders. Nancy, who was brought in from Columbus Crew, has now presided over six defeats in eight matches.
“We are together at the club,” stated Nancy.
Asked directly about his own future, Nancy responded: “That’s not my focus. I concentrate on discovering solutions to help my team to improve on details.
Protest Outside Parkhead
Celtic’s support voiced their fury – directed at the hierarchy – by protesting at full time. Club directors are thought to be considering to return to Martin O’Neill, who enjoyed a successful caretaker period before Nancy was hired, if the Frenchman were sacked.
“Wins and losses [that leads to pressure]. That is the reality for the moment. But in stating this is the reality, that is not a sign that I am a defeatist guy. Absolutely not. My point is the turnaround is near, extremely close to turn things around.”
“Really, Really Close”
The coach highlights the fact Celtic show good levels for a half at a time. Indeed, were it not for wastefulness in front of goal they would have been more than 1-0 up. “The performance had merit other than the fact that we didn't take our chances,” he said. “I acknowledge that we lost, but I must remain balanced.
“The performance we had at times was of top quality. That is a fact. And I would not speak so positively if it was not the case. That is the reason, in terms of results, I said we've seen this before. Which is why I said that we are really close to getting it right. Right now: details, details, details.”
“There were a lot of encouraging signs that we did, like today again. The issue now comes down to sustaining it. My message would change if I didn't believe it. Therefore I am a big believer we’re going to be able to fix this.”
Opposition Reaction Response
Danny Röhl was cautious about a championship push despite what felt like a statement victory. “We take it game by game, so we can really build up something here,” he said. “The confidence in the group is excellent.”
