Bullish Wilfried Nancy shows no fear of being fired but the Parkhead faithful unleash fury after derby defeat.

Wilfried Nancy declared he did not fear losing his job, asserting, “The team is really close to a turnaround,” in the wake of sliding worryingly close to being fired with a comprehensive loss to their arch-rivals.

A Second-Half Meltdown Sees Old Firm Defeat

The Hoops had led the visitors at the interval but a disastrous second period allowed Rangers 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 games.

“The board and I are united with the board,” insisted Nancy.

Asked directly about his own future, Nancy replied: “I don’t think about it. I concentrate on discovering solutions to help my team to be good on the fine details.

Supporters' Anger Outside Parkhead

The fans displayed their anger – aimed at the dugout and directors – by protesting outside the stadium. The board would be most likely to return to the former boss, who enjoyed a successful interim spell previously, if Nancy departs.

“The outcomes [that leads to pressure]. And that’s the reality for the moment. But by saying that’s how it is, it doesn’t mean that I am a defeatist guy. No. My point is the turnaround is near, extremely close to change the narrative.”

Focus on the Details

He remains focused on the fact his team play well for one half at a time. Indeed, if not for wastefulness in front of goal they might have been more than 1-0 up. “I saw enough other than the fact that we missed our chances,” he said. “I acknowledge that we lost, but I must remain balanced.

“The performance we had at certain moments was really, really, really high. This is the reality. And I would not say that if it was not the case. Therefore, regarding outcomes, I said we've seen this before. For that reason I believe we are really close to things turning around. But for the moment: small things.”

“I saw plenty of positives that we did, once more. But now is sustaining it. My message would be different if I didn't believe it. Therefore I firmly believe we will manage to get back on track.”

Röhl’s Cautious Response

The victorious boss played down talk of a serious challenge even after what seemed like a landmark win. “One match at a time, then we can really build up a challenge,” he said. “The faith in the squad is outstanding.”