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Wilfried Nancy insisted he did not fear dismissal, maintaining, “I believe we are very near to a turnaround,” despite edging perilously close to the exit with a heavy defeat by Rangers.

A Second-Half Meltdown Results in Derby Defeat

Celtic were ahead Rangers at half-time but a second-half capitulation allowed Rangers to draw level on points with the current Scottish Premiership champions. The French coach, who was brought in in December, has now overseen six losses in his first eight games.

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

Pressed on whether he was concerned, he said: “That’s not my focus. I think about discovering solutions to help my team to be good on the fine details.

Supporters' Anger On Display

Celtic’s support made their feelings clear – directed at the dugout and directors – by protesting at full time. The hierarchy are thought to be considering to re-appoint Martin O’Neill, who enjoyed a successful temporary stint last year, if the Frenchman were sacked.

“Wins and losses [that leads to pressure]. And that’s the situation for the moment. However by saying this is the reality, that is not a sign that I am pessimistic. No. The message is the turnaround is near, imminently close to reverse our form.”

Nancy’s Persistent Belief

Nancy remains focused on the fact his team can perform strongly for 45 minutes at a time. For instance, were it not for wastefulness in front of goal they might have been better than 1-0 up. “There were positives aside from the fact that we missed our chances,” he said. “I accept that we lost, but I have also to be balanced.

“The standard we had at certain moments was exceptionally high. That happened. I wouldn't talk like that if it was different. Therefore, when it comes to wins, I said we've seen this before. For that reason I said that a change is coming to getting it right. But for the moment: the fine margins.”

“There were a lot of encouraging signs that we did, as was the case today. But now is consistency. My outlook would be different if it was not the case. Therefore I am convinced we’re going to be able to turn things around.”

Röhl’s Cautious Response

The victorious boss was cautious about a title charge even after what seemed like a statement victory. “Step by step, so we can develop a challenge,” he said. “The belief in the group is immense.”