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Wilfried Nancy insisted he had no concerns about dismissal, claiming, “The team is very near to things turning around,” in the wake of sliding worryingly close to the exit with a heavy defeat by their arch-rivals.

Another Meltdown Sees Old Firm Defeat

Celtic were ahead Rangers at the interval but a collapse after the break enabled Rangers to move level on points with the current Scottish Premiership champions. Nancy, who was brought in in December, has now overseen six setbacks in his first eight fixtures.

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

Asked directly about his own future, he responded: “That’s not my focus. My focus is on discovering solutions to help my team to be good on details.

Protest Outside Parkhead

The fans voiced their fury – towards the board and manager – in their hundreds at full time. Club directors are thought to be considering to return to the interim manager, who enjoyed a successful temporary stint last year, if Nancy departs.

“Wins and losses [that leads to pressure]. That is the situation for the moment. Yet when I say that’s how it is, that is not a sign that I am pessimistic. Not at all. What I mean the turnaround is near, extremely close to turn things around.”

Focus on the Details

He continues to cling to the fact Celtic show good levels for a half at a time. Indeed, but for poor finishing they could have been greater than 1-0 up. “The performance had merit other than the fact that we didn't take our chances,” he said. “I know that we lost, but I must remain balanced.

“The standard we had at certain moments was really, really, really high. That is a fact. I could not talk like that if it was untrue. Therefore, when it comes to wins, I said this is the same story. That’s why I feel we are really close to getting it right. Right now: small things.”

“We produced a lot of encouraging signs that we did, like today again. However comes down to sustaining it. My outlook would not be the same. That’s why I am convinced we’re going to be able to fix this.”

The Rangers Boss Response

Danny Röhl refused to contemplate a serious challenge even after what appeared to be a statement victory. “Step by step, so we can really build up something here,” he said. “The faith in the team is excellent.”