Defiant Celtic's manager insists he is not worried about the sack but Celtic fans display fury following derby defeat.

The Celtic boss declared he was not afraid of the sack, claiming, “I believe we are very near to changing our fortunes,” despite moving dangerously close to the chopping block with a comprehensive loss to their arch-rivals.

A Second-Half Meltdown Results in Derby Defeat

The Hoops were in front the visitors at the break but a disastrous second period allowed Rangers to pull level on points with the current league title holders. Nancy, who was brought in in December, has now presided over six setbacks in his first eight games.

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

Questioned about his own future, Nancy replied: “I don’t think about it. I think about finding ways to aid my players to excel on the fine details.

Protest Outside Parkhead

The fans voiced their fury – towards the hierarchy – by protesting outside the stadium. The board would be most likely to re-appoint the former boss, who enjoyed a successful interim spell before Nancy was hired, should a change be made.

“It’s the results [that leads to pressure]. And that’s the truth for the moment. However when I say that’s how it is, that is not a sign that I am pessimistic. Not at all. The message is the turnaround is near, imminently close to turn things around.”

“Really, Really Close”

The coach continues to cling to the fact Celtic show good levels for 45 minutes at a time. In fact, if not for missed chances they could have been greater than 1-0 up. “I saw enough other than the fact that we missed a second goal,” he said. “I know that we lost, but I must remain objective.

“The standard we had at times was exceptionally high. That is a fact. And I would not talk like that if it was untrue. That is the reason, when it comes to wins, I noted it's a repeating pattern. That’s why I believe we are nearly there to getting it right. Right now: small things.”

“I saw a lot of encouraging signs that we did, like today again. However comes down to consistency. My outlook would be different the same. This is why I am convinced we’re going to be able to get back on track.”

The Rangers Boss Outlook

Danny Röhl was cautious about a serious challenge despite what felt like a landmark win. “Step by step, then we can gradually build something here,” he said. “The confidence in the group is excellent.”