Bullish Nancy shows no fear of being fired however Celtic fans unleash fury after derby defeat.
The Celtic boss insisted he had no concerns about losing his job, claiming, “We are extremely close to changing our fortunes,” despite moving dangerously close to the exit with a comprehensive loss to their arch-rivals.
A Second-Half Collapse Sees Old Firm Disaster
The Hoops had led their oldest rivals at the interval but a disastrous second period allowed Rangers to pull level on points with the current league title holders. Nancy, who was hired in December, has now presided over six setbacks in his last eight fixtures.
“The board and I are united with the board,” said the manager.
Pressed on whether he was concerned, he replied: “It’s not on my mind. I concentrate on discovering solutions to get the team to be good on the fine details.
Fan Fury Erupts
The fans made their feelings clear – aimed at the board and manager – by gathering at full time. Club directors are thought to be considering to re-appoint Martin O’Neill, who steered the club during a caretaker period before Nancy was hired, should a change be made.
“The outcomes [that leads to pressure]. And that’s the reality for the moment. Yet when I say this is the reality, it doesn’t mean that I am giving up. No. My point is we are on the cusp, imminently close to turn things around.”
Nancy’s Persistent Belief
Nancy highlights the fact the side show good levels for one half at a time. In fact, if not for missed chances they would have been better than 1-0 up. “The performance had merit other than the fact that we missed a second goal,” he said. “I acknowledge that we lost, but I must remain balanced.
“The level we had at stages was really, really, really high. This is the reality. And I would not speak so positively if it was different. Therefore, in terms of results, I mentioned we've seen this before. That’s why I feel a change is coming to a shift in fortunes. But for the moment: the fine margins.”
“We produced many, many good things that we did, once more. However comes down to performing for 90 minutes. My message would be different if I didn't believe it. That’s why I am convinced we will manage to turn things around.”
Röhl’s Cautious Outlook
The victorious boss was cautious about a serious challenge even after what appeared to be a landmark win. “Step by step, then we can really build up a challenge,” he said. “The faith in the squad is outstanding.”
