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Wilfried Nancy declared he was not afraid of dismissal, maintaining, “We are extremely close to a turnaround,” in the wake of edging perilously close to the chopping block with a convincing setback against the Ibrox side.

A Second-Half Meltdown Results in Old Firm Defeat

The Hoops were in front Rangers at the break but a second-half capitulation allowed Danny Röhl’s team to pull level on points with the reigning Scottish Premiership champions. Nancy, who was brought in from the MLS, has now been in charge for six setbacks in his first eight matches.

“We are together with the board,” insisted the manager.

Asked directly about the speculation, he replied: “That’s not my focus. My focus is on working out methods to help my team to excel on details.

Supporters' Anger Erupts

Celtic’s support voiced their fury – directed at the dugout and directors – in their hundreds at full time. The board are thought to be considering to bring back Martin O’Neill, who had a fruitful interim spell previously, should a change be made.

“The outcomes [that leads to pressure]. And that’s the reality for the moment. Yet when I say that’s how it is, that is not a sign that I am giving up. Not at all. What I mean we are really close, extremely close to change the narrative.”

Focus on the Details

Nancy remains focused on the fact his team show good levels for one half at a time. For instance, but for missed chances they could have been better than 1-0 up. “The performance had merit aside from the fact that we missed our chances,” he said. “I acknowledge that we lost, but it's important to stay balanced.

“The standard we had at stages was of top quality. This is the reality. And I would not speak so positively if it was untrue. That is the reason, when it comes to wins, I mentioned it's a repeating pattern. Which is why I said that we are really close to a shift in fortunes. Right now: small things.”

“I saw many, many good things that we did, like today again. However it’s about sustaining it. My message would be different if I didn't believe it. That’s why I am a big believer we’re going to be able to fix this.”

Opposition Reaction Stance

Rangers manager refused to contemplate a serious challenge despite what appeared to be a landmark win. “We take it game by game, and we can gradually build momentum,” he said. “The confidence in the group is excellent.”