Bullish Nancy does not fear dismissal but Celtic fans display wrath following derby defeat.
Wilfried Nancy insisted he did not fear losing his job, asserting, “I believe we are very near to things turning around,” even after moving dangerously close to being fired with a heavy defeat by Rangers.
A Second-Half Capitulation Results in Derby Defeat
The home side were ahead their oldest rivals at half-time but a disastrous second period enabled Danny Röhl’s team to draw level on points with the defending league title holders. The French coach, who was hired from the MLS, has now overseen six setbacks in his last eight matches.
“The board and I are united at the club,” stated the manager.
Pressed on the speculation, the 48-year-old said: “That’s not my focus. I concentrate on discovering solutions to help my team to be good on small moments.
Supporters' Anger On Display
Hundreds of supporters voiced their fury – aimed at the board and manager – by gathering outside the stadium. The hierarchy would be most likely to bring back the former boss, who steered the club during a caretaker period before Nancy was hired, should a change be made.
“Wins and losses [that leads to pressure]. So this is the reality for the moment. However when I say this is the reality, it doesn’t mean that I am pessimistic. No. The message is the turnaround is near, extremely close to reverse our form.”
“Really, Really Close”
He highlights the fact Celtic can perform strongly for one half at a time. For instance, were it not for missed chances they would have been greater than 1-0 up. “I saw enough except the fact that we haven’t scored our chances,” he said. “I accept that we lost, but I have also to be fair.
“The performance we had at stages was exceptionally high. This is the reality. And I would not talk like that if it was not the case. But that’s why, regarding outcomes, I mentioned we've seen this before. Which is why I said that we are nearly there to getting it right. But for the moment: details, details, details.”
“We produced plenty of positives that we did, like today again. The issue now it’s about consistency. My outlook would change if it was not the case. That’s why I am convinced we’re going to be able to fix this.”
Opposition Reaction Stance
The victorious boss refused to contemplate a championship push despite what seemed like a huge result. “Step by step, so we can develop something here,” he said. “The confidence in the group is immense.”
