Unbowed Celtic's manager shows no fear of being fired however supporters show fury after defeat.
Wilfried Nancy declared he was not afraid of dismissal, maintaining, “The team is really close to things turning around,” even after sliding worryingly close to being fired with a heavy defeat by the Ibrox side.
Another Capitulation Results in Derby Disaster
Celtic were in front the visitors at the break but a collapse after the break enabled the Gers to draw level on points with the reigning league title holders. Nancy, who was hired from the MLS, has now been in charge for six defeats in eight fixtures.
“The board and I are united at the club,” said the manager.
Pressed on his own future, Nancy responded: “I don’t think about it. I think about working out methods to help my team to improve on the fine details.
Protest On Display
The fans displayed their anger – aimed at the hierarchy – in their hundreds at full time. The board would be most likely to return to the interim manager, who enjoyed a successful interim spell previously, if Nancy departs.
“It’s the results [that leads to pressure]. That is the truth for the moment. However when I say that’s how it is, it doesn’t mean that I am giving up. Absolutely not. My point is we are on the cusp, really, really close to reverse our form.”
“Really, Really Close”
Nancy continues to cling to the fact the side can perform strongly for a half at a time. Indeed, were it not for wastefulness in front of goal they would have been better than 1-0 up. “There were positives aside from the fact that we haven’t scored our chances,” he said. “I accept that we lost, but I have also to be balanced.
“The standard we had at certain moments was really, really, really high. This is the reality. And I would not talk like that if it was different. But that’s why, in terms of results, I said this is the same story. Which is why I feel a change is coming to a shift in fortunes. Currently: details, details, details.”
“I saw a lot of encouraging signs that we did, as was the case today. The issue now is consistency. My message would change if it was not the case. This is why I firmly believe the team can to get back on track.”
Röhl’s Cautious Response
The victorious boss played down talk of a title charge despite what appeared to be a landmark win. “Step by step, then we can develop a challenge,” he said. “The belief in the team is immense.”
