Bullish Wilfried Nancy shows no fear of being fired however the Parkhead faithful show wrath after defeat.
The under-pressure manager declared he did not fear the sack, claiming, “We are extremely close to things turning around,” even after edging perilously close to the chopping block with a convincing defeat by their arch-rivals.
Another Capitulation Sees Derby Disaster
Celtic were in front the visitors at the interval but a disastrous second period enabled Rangers to pull level on points with the reigning league title holders. The French coach, who was hired from Columbus Crew, has now overseen six losses in his last eight matches.
“There is unity with the board,” stated Nancy.
Pressed on whether he was concerned, the 48-year-old responded: “I don’t think about it. My focus is on finding ways to aid my players to be good on the fine details.
Protest Outside Parkhead
The fans voiced their fury – aimed at the dugout and directors – in their hundreds at full time. Club directors would be most likely to re-appoint the former boss, who had a fruitful interim spell before Nancy was hired, if the Frenchman were sacked.
“Wins and losses [that leads to pressure]. So this is the situation for the moment. Yet in stating that’s how it is, that is not a sign that I am giving up. Absolutely not. What I mean we are on the cusp, extremely close to change the narrative.”
Nancy’s Persistent Belief
He continues to cling to the fact Celtic can perform strongly for one half at a time. For instance, if not for wastefulness in front of goal they could have been better than 1-0 up. “There were positives except the fact that we haven’t scored a second goal,” he said. “I acknowledge that we lost, but I must remain fair.
“The level we had at certain moments was really, really, really high. That is a fact. And I would not speak so positively if it was not the case. That is the reason, regarding outcomes, I noted this is the same story. That’s why I feel we are nearly there to things turning around. But for the moment: the fine margins.”
“We produced plenty of positives that we did, like today again. However it’s about sustaining it. My outlook would not be the same. This is why I firmly believe the team can to turn things around.”
Opposition Reaction Stance
Danny Röhl was cautious about a title charge in spite of what seemed like a landmark win. “We take it game by game, and we can gradually build momentum,” he said. “The faith in the group is excellent.”
