Defiant Nancy insists he is not worried about dismissal however supporters unleash fury following derby defeat.
The Celtic boss insisted he did not fear dismissal, asserting, “The team is really close to things turning around,” despite sliding worryingly close to being fired with a comprehensive setback against Rangers.
A Second-Half Meltdown Sees Old Firm Loss
Celtic were in front their oldest rivals at the break but a disastrous second period let the Gers to pull level on points with the reigning league title holders. The former MLS manager, who was appointed from the MLS, has now overseen six losses in his first eight fixtures.
“There is unity at the club,” stated Nancy.
Asked directly about whether he was concerned, Nancy responded: “It’s not on my mind. My focus is on discovering solutions to help my team to improve on small moments.
Protest Erupts
Hundreds of supporters made their feelings clear – towards the board and manager – by protesting outside the stadium. Club directors would be most likely to return to the interim manager, who had a fruitful interim spell before Nancy was hired, should a change be made.
“It’s the results [that leads to pressure]. So this is the situation for the moment. Yet when I say that’s how it is, that is not a sign that I am pessimistic. Not at all. My point is we are on the cusp, really, really close to change the narrative.”
“Really, Really Close”
Nancy continues to cling to the fact his team show good levels for one half at a time. Indeed, but for missed chances they could have been more than 1-0 up. “There were positives other than the fact that we haven’t scored more goals,” he said. “I accept that we lost, but it's important to stay fair.
“The performance we had at times was exceptionally high. This is the reality. And I would not speak so positively if it was untrue. But that’s why, in terms of results, I said we've seen this before. For that reason I believe a change is coming to things turning around. But for the moment: the fine margins.”
“There were many, many good things that we did, like today again. However is consistency. My message would be different if it was not the case. That’s why I am a big believer the team can to turn things around.”
Röhl’s Cautious Outlook
The victorious boss played down talk of a title charge despite what seemed like a landmark win. “We take it game by game, then we can gradually build a challenge,” he said. “The confidence in the team is excellent.”
