Bullish Wilfried Nancy shows no fear of the sack but the Parkhead faithful show wrath after derby defeat.

The under-pressure manager declared he had no concerns about the sack, asserting, “We are very near to changing our fortunes,” in the wake of moving dangerously close to the exit with a convincing loss to Rangers.

A Second-Half Collapse Results in Derby Disaster

The Hoops had led the visitors at the break but a second-half capitulation allowed the Gers to pull level on points with the reigning Scottish Premiership champions. The former MLS manager, who was appointed from Columbus Crew, has now overseen six defeats in his first eight fixtures.

“The board and I are united at the club,” said Nancy.

Questioned about the speculation, he responded: “It’s not on my mind. I think about finding ways to aid my players to excel on details.

Fan Fury Erupts

The fans made their feelings clear – directed at the hierarchy – by gathering at Parkhead. The board are reportedly likely to return to Martin O’Neill, who enjoyed a successful interim spell before Nancy was hired, if the Frenchman were sacked.

“The outcomes [that leads to pressure]. So this is the reality for the moment. However in stating this is the reality, it doesn’t mean that I am pessimistic. Not at all. The message is we are really close, imminently close to change the narrative.”

Nancy’s Persistent Belief

Nancy continues to cling to the fact his team play well for one half 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 more goals,” he said. “I acknowledge that we lost, but I must remain objective.

“The level we had at certain moments was really, really, really high. That happened. I wouldn't speak so positively if it was untrue. But that’s why, regarding outcomes, I mentioned we've seen this before. Which is why I believe we are really close to things turning around. Right now: the fine margins.”

“We produced a lot of encouraging signs that we did, once more. But now it’s about performing for 90 minutes. My narrative would change if it was not the case. Therefore I am convinced we’re going to be able to get back on track.”

The Rangers Boss Response

Danny Röhl played down talk of a title charge despite what felt like a statement victory. “We take it game by game, so we can gradually build a challenge,” he said. “The faith in the group is outstanding.”

Brittney Gutierrez
Brittney Gutierrez

A passionate fiber artist and knitting enthusiast with over a decade of experience in creating unique, hand-dyed yarns and teaching crafting techniques.