Defiant Wilfried Nancy shows no fear of being fired but supporters show fury following loss.
The under-pressure manager insisted he had no concerns about losing his job, claiming, “The team is really close to changing our fortunes,” despite moving dangerously close to being fired with a heavy loss to Rangers.
Another Meltdown Sees Old Firm Disaster
Celtic were ahead the visitors at the break but a disastrous second period allowed the Gers to pull level on points with the defending Scottish Premiership champions. 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.
Questioned about his own future, he responded: “I don’t think about it. My focus is on discovering solutions to get the team to excel on small moments.
Fan Fury Erupts
The fans voiced their fury – towards the board and manager – in their hundreds outside the stadium. The hierarchy are reportedly likely to re-appoint the interim manager, who steered the club during a caretaker period last year, if Nancy departs.
“Wins and losses [that leads to pressure]. And that’s the truth for the moment. However when I say that’s how it is, that is not a sign that I am pessimistic. No. My point is we are really close, really, really close to reverse our form.”
“Really, Really Close”
Nancy remains focused on the fact his team show good levels for one half at a time. For instance, but for missed chances they could have been better than 1-0 up. “I saw enough aside from the fact that we haven’t scored more goals,” he said. “I accept that we lost, but I must remain objective.
“The level we had at certain moments was of top quality. That happened. And I would not say that if it was not the case. Therefore, when it comes to wins, I mentioned it's a repeating pattern. For that reason I feel we are nearly there to getting it right. Right now: details, details, details.”
“We produced a lot of encouraging signs that we did, once more. But now is consistency. My message would change if I didn't believe it. This is why I firmly believe the team can to turn things around.”
Röhl’s Cautious Outlook
Rangers manager played down talk of a championship push even after what appeared to be a statement victory. “We take it game by game, and we can really build up a challenge,” he said. “The confidence in the squad is outstanding.”