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The under-pressure manager declared he did not fear the sack, maintaining, “I believe we are extremely close to a turnaround,” in the wake of moving dangerously close to the exit with a heavy loss to the Ibrox side.

A Second-Half Meltdown Sees Derby Loss

The home side were ahead their oldest rivals at half-time but a disastrous second period enabled Rangers to draw level on points with the defending league title holders. The French coach, who was appointed from Columbus Crew, has now overseen six setbacks in eight matches.

“The board and I are united at the club,” stated Nancy.

Asked directly about whether he was concerned, the 48-year-old replied: “I don’t think about it. My focus is on working out methods to get the team to improve on the fine details.

Fan Fury On Display

The fans displayed their anger – directed at the board and manager – in their hundreds at full time. The board would be most likely to re-appoint Martin O’Neill, who had a fruitful temporary stint before Nancy was hired, if the Frenchman were sacked.

“The outcomes [that leads to pressure]. And that’s the truth for the moment. But when I say this is the reality, it doesn’t mean that I am pessimistic. Absolutely not. My point is we are on the cusp, extremely close to change the narrative.”

Nancy’s Persistent Belief

The coach highlights the fact the side play well for one half at a time. In fact, were it not for poor finishing they might have been better than 1-0 up. “I saw enough except the fact that we didn't take our chances,” he said. “I know that we lost, but I must remain fair.

“The performance we had at certain moments was of top quality. That is a fact. I could not speak so positively if it was different. Therefore, when it comes to wins, I mentioned it's a repeating pattern. For that reason I feel we are nearly there to things turning around. Currently: the fine margins.”

“We produced many, many good things that we did, like today again. But now it’s about consistency. My outlook would change if I didn't believe it. That’s why I firmly believe we’re going to be able to turn things around.”

Röhl’s Cautious Response

The victorious boss played down talk of a serious challenge despite what seemed like a statement victory. “One match at a time, and we can really build up momentum,” he said. “The confidence in the squad is outstanding.”