Bullish Nancy does not fear being fired but the Parkhead faithful show anger following defeat.
The under-pressure manager declared he had no concerns about the sack, maintaining, “The team is really close to things turning around,” even after sliding worryingly close to being fired with a heavy loss to Rangers.
A Second-Half Collapse Results in Derby Loss
The home side were ahead their oldest rivals at the break but a second-half capitulation allowed Danny Röhl’s team to draw level on points with the current Scottish Premiership champions. Nancy, who was hired from Columbus Crew, has now presided over six setbacks in his last eight fixtures.
“The board and I are united at the club,” stated the manager.
Asked directly about his own future, he replied: “I don’t think about it. I concentrate on working out methods to get the team to excel on small moments.
Supporters' Anger On Display
Celtic’s support voiced their fury – aimed at the dugout and directors – by protesting outside the stadium. The hierarchy are reportedly likely to return to Martin O’Neill, who enjoyed a successful caretaker period last year, if the Frenchman were sacked.
“The outcomes [that leads to pressure]. So this is the truth for the moment. However in stating this is the reality, that is not a sign that I am a defeatist guy. Not at all. My point is the turnaround is near, imminently close to turn things around.”
Nancy’s Persistent Belief
He highlights the fact his team show good levels for one half at a time. In fact, were it not for missed chances they might have been more than 1-0 up. “There were positives aside from the fact that we missed our chances,” he said. “I know that we lost, but I must remain objective.
“The performance we had at stages was really, really, really high. That is a fact. And I would not talk like that if it was different. Therefore, in terms of results, I noted we've seen this before. Which is why I believe we are nearly there to things turning around. Currently: the fine margins.”
“There were plenty of positives that we did, once more. However it’s about consistency. My outlook would change if I didn't believe it. This is why I firmly believe we’re going to be able to fix this.”
The Rangers Boss Stance
Rangers manager was cautious about a championship push despite what felt like a huge result. “Step by step, then we can really build up a challenge,” he said. “The belief in the team is immense.”