Unbowed Nancy insists he is not worried about the sack but supporters show fury following defeat.
The under-pressure manager stated he did not fear the sack, maintaining, “The team is very near to changing our fortunes,” in the wake of sliding worryingly close to being fired with a heavy defeat by Rangers.
A Second-Half Collapse Leads to Derby Disaster
Celtic had led their oldest rivals at the interval but a collapse after the break enabled the Gers to draw level on points with the reigning Scottish Premiership champions. The former MLS manager, who was appointed in December, has now presided over six losses in his first eight fixtures.
“We are together at the club,” stated the manager.
Asked directly about the speculation, he replied: “I don’t think about it. I concentrate on discovering solutions to get the team to be good on small moments.
Fan Fury Outside Parkhead
The fans voiced their fury – directed at the board and manager – by protesting outside the stadium. The board would be most likely to bring back Martin O’Neill, who enjoyed a successful caretaker period before Nancy was hired, should a change be made.
“Wins and losses [that leads to pressure]. And that’s the reality for the moment. However when I say this is the reality, it doesn’t mean that I am pessimistic. Not at all. The message is the turnaround is near, extremely close to turn things around.”
Focus on the Details
The coach continues to cling to the fact the side show good levels for one half at a time. In fact, were it not for missed chances they could have been better than 1-0 up. “The performance had merit other than the fact that we didn't take more goals,” he said. “I know that we lost, but I must remain balanced.
“The standard we had at certain moments was really, really, really high. That happened. And I would not say that if it was not the case. That is the reason, in terms of results, I mentioned we've seen this before. That’s why I feel a change is coming to things turning around. But for the moment: the fine margins.”
“There were plenty of positives that we did, as was the case today. However it’s about sustaining it. My outlook would not be the same. Therefore I am a big believer we’re going to be able to fix this.”
Röhl’s Cautious Outlook
Danny Röhl played down talk of a serious challenge in spite of what seemed like a statement victory. “Step by step, then we can gradually build momentum,” he said. “The belief in the group is immense.”
