Unbowed Celtic's manager shows no fear of being fired yet supporters show fury following loss.

Wilfried Nancy declared he was not afraid of losing his job, maintaining, “I believe we are very near to things turning around,” even after moving dangerously close to being fired with a convincing setback against their arch-rivals.

Another Collapse Leads to Derby Loss

Celtic were ahead the visitors at the interval but a second-half capitulation allowed the Gers to pull level on points with the current league title holders. The French coach, who was brought in in December, has now presided over six losses in his last eight fixtures.

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

Questioned about his own future, he said: “It’s not on my mind. I concentrate on working out methods to help my team to improve on the fine details.

Fan Fury Erupts

The fans made their feelings clear – aimed at the board and manager – by gathering outside the stadium. Club directors would be most likely to bring back the former boss, who steered the club during a caretaker period last year, if Nancy departs.

“It’s the results [that leads to pressure]. That is the truth for the moment. But in stating this is the reality, that is not a sign that I am pessimistic. Absolutely not. What I mean we are really close, really, really close to turn things around.”

Nancy’s Persistent Belief

Nancy remains focused on the fact Celtic can perform strongly for a half at a time. Indeed, were it not for wastefulness in front of goal they could have been greater than 1-0 up. “There were positives other than the fact that we didn't take our chances,” he said. “I accept that we lost, but I must remain balanced.

“The level we had at stages was really, really, really high. This is the reality. I could not speak so positively if it was untrue. But that’s why, when it comes to wins, I noted we've seen this before. Which is why I feel we are nearly there to a shift in fortunes. But for the moment: the fine margins.”

“We produced a lot of encouraging signs that we did, as was the case today. The issue now comes down to consistency. My message would change if I didn't believe it. Therefore I am a big believer we’re going to be able to turn things around.”

Röhl’s Cautious Stance

Danny Röhl refused to contemplate a title charge despite what felt like a huge result. “We take it game by game, and we can gradually build something here,” he said. “The confidence in the group is immense.”