Defiant Celtic's manager shows no fear of being fired yet supporters unleash wrath following loss.
The under-pressure manager insisted he did not fear the sack, maintaining, “We are very near to a turnaround,” in the wake of moving dangerously close to being fired with a heavy loss to their arch-rivals.
A Second-Half Capitulation Leads to Derby Defeat
Celtic were in front Rangers at the interval but a second-half capitulation enabled Danny Röhl’s team to draw level on points with the current league title holders. Nancy, who was brought in from the MLS, has now presided over six setbacks in eight games.
“The board and I are united at the club,” insisted the manager.
Asked directly about whether he was concerned, Nancy responded: “That’s not my focus. I think about finding ways to aid my players to improve on small moments.
Protest Outside Parkhead
Hundreds of supporters voiced their fury – directed at the hierarchy – by gathering at full time. The board would be most likely to bring back the interim manager, who steered the club during a caretaker period previously, should a change be made.
“Wins and losses [that leads to pressure]. So this is the truth for the moment. However when I say this is the reality, I am not saying that I am pessimistic. Absolutely not. My point is we are on the cusp, extremely close to turn things around.”
“Really, Really Close”
The coach continues to cling to the fact the side show good levels for 45 minutes at a time. For instance, were it not for poor finishing they would have been more than 1-0 up. “There were positives other than the fact that we haven’t scored more goals,” he said. “I acknowledge that we lost, but it's important to stay balanced.
“The level we had at stages was really, really, really high. That is a fact. I wouldn't speak so positively if it was different. That is the reason, regarding outcomes, I mentioned this is the same story. Which is why I feel we are nearly there to a shift in fortunes. Right now: the fine margins.”
“There were a lot of encouraging signs that we did, as was the case today. But now comes down to performing for 90 minutes. My narrative would be different the same. Therefore I am a big believer we will manage to turn things around.”
The Rangers Boss Outlook
Danny Röhl played down talk of a title charge despite what seemed like a huge result. “One match at a time, then we can gradually build a challenge,” he said. “The faith in the team is outstanding.”