Bullish Wilfried Nancy shows no fear of dismissal yet Celtic fans show wrath after derby defeat.

The Celtic boss declared he was not afraid of dismissal, claiming, “We are very near to changing our fortunes,” despite moving dangerously close to being fired with a convincing defeat by the Ibrox side.

A Second-Half Capitulation Leads to Old Firm Defeat

The home side had led Rangers at the interval but a second-half capitulation allowed Rangers to move level on points with the defending Scottish Premiership champions. The French coach, who was appointed in December, has now presided over six defeats in his last eight fixtures.

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

Asked directly about his own future, the 48-year-old replied: “It’s not on my mind. I think about discovering solutions to aid my players to improve on small moments.

Protest Erupts

Hundreds of supporters voiced their fury – towards the dugout and directors – by protesting at full time. Club directors would be most likely to bring back Martin O’Neill, who had a fruitful interim spell previously, if Nancy departs.

“The outcomes [that leads to pressure]. That is the situation for the moment. Yet by saying this is the reality, it doesn’t mean that I am pessimistic. Absolutely not. The message is the turnaround is near, extremely close to change the narrative.”

“Really, Really Close”

He remains focused on the fact his team play well for one half at a time. In fact, if not for poor finishing they would have been better than 1-0 up. “The performance had merit other than the fact that we didn't take a second goal,” he said. “I know that we lost, but I must remain fair.

“The performance we had at certain moments was exceptionally high. That is a fact. And I would not talk like that if it was not the case. That is the reason, in terms of results, I noted it's a repeating pattern. Which is why I feel we are nearly there to a shift in fortunes. But for the moment: small things.”

“There were plenty of positives that we did, once more. However comes down to consistency. My message would change the same. This is why I am convinced we’re going to be able to get back on track.”

Opposition Reaction Stance

Danny Röhl was cautious about a title charge even after what appeared to be a huge result. “One match at a time, then we can gradually build momentum,” he said. “The belief in the squad is outstanding.”