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The Celtic boss declared he did not fear losing his job, asserting, “I believe we are very near to changing our fortunes,” in the wake of sliding worryingly close to the chopping block with a heavy defeat by Rangers.

A Second-Half Collapse Sees Derby Loss

Celtic were in front their oldest rivals at the break but a second-half capitulation allowed the Gers to pull level on points with the reigning Scottish Premiership champions. The French coach, who was appointed from Columbus Crew, has now been in charge for six setbacks in his last eight fixtures.

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

Asked directly about the speculation, the 48-year-old said: “That’s not my focus. I concentrate on finding ways to help my team to be good on the fine details.

Supporters' Anger Erupts

Celtic’s support made their feelings clear – directed at the dugout and directors – by gathering at Parkhead. The board would be most likely to return to the interim manager, who enjoyed a successful interim spell previously, if the Frenchman were sacked.

“Wins and losses [that leads to pressure]. That is the reality for the moment. However when I say that’s how it is, it doesn’t mean that I am pessimistic. Not at all. My point is the turnaround is near, extremely close to turn things around.”

Nancy’s Persistent Belief

The coach highlights the fact Celtic show good levels for 45 minutes at a time. In fact, if not for poor finishing they might have been better than 1-0 up. “I saw enough other than the fact that we missed our chances,” he said. “I accept that we lost, but it's important to stay objective.

“The performance we had at times was of top quality. This is the reality. I wouldn't talk like that if it was not the case. That is the reason, in terms of results, I said we've seen this before. For that reason I said that we are really close to a shift in fortunes. Currently: details, details, details.”

“There were plenty of positives that we did, as was the case today. However is consistency. My message would be different if I didn't believe it. That’s why I am a big believer we will manage to fix this.”

The Rangers Boss Response

Rangers manager was cautious about a title charge despite what felt like a huge result. “We take it game by game, so we can develop a challenge,” he said. “The faith in the team is excellent.”