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Wilfried Nancy insisted he was not afraid of dismissal, maintaining, “We are really close to a turnaround,” despite edging perilously close to the chopping block with a convincing setback against their arch-rivals.

A Second-Half Collapse Results in Derby Loss

Celtic were in front their oldest rivals at half-time but a disastrous second period allowed Rangers to draw level on points with the current league title holders. Nancy, who was brought in from Columbus Crew, has now been in charge for six losses in eight games.

“There is unity at the club,” stated the manager.

Pressed on whether he was concerned, he replied: “That’s not my focus. My focus is on finding ways to aid my players to excel on details.

Fan Fury On Display

Celtic’s support displayed their anger – directed at the dugout and directors – by protesting at Parkhead. The board would be most likely to re-appoint the former boss, who steered the club during a temporary stint previously, if the Frenchman were sacked.

“It’s the results [that leads to pressure]. So this is the reality for the moment. However by saying this is the reality, I am not saying that I am a defeatist guy. Not at all. The message is we are on the cusp, imminently close to turn things around.”

Nancy’s Persistent Belief

He highlights the fact Celtic play well for 45 minutes at a time. For instance, were it not for poor finishing they could have been greater than 1-0 up. “The performance had merit aside from the fact that we haven’t scored our chances,” he said. “I know that we lost, but it's important to stay balanced.

“The performance we had at certain moments was of top quality. This is the reality. I wouldn't say that if it was different. That is the reason, when it comes to wins, I said it's a repeating pattern. Which is why I feel a change is coming to getting it right. Right now: details, details, details.”

“I saw a lot of encouraging signs that we did, once more. But now is sustaining it. My message would be different if it was not the case. Therefore I firmly believe we’re going to be able to fix this.”

Röhl’s Cautious Response

The victorious boss refused to contemplate a serious challenge in spite of what felt like a statement victory. “Step by step, and we can really build up a challenge,” he said. “The confidence in the squad is outstanding.”