Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy says he is “not concerned” about his instructions failing to resonate with the squad despite the troubling 3-0 defeat to Roma…
It proved a bleak evening for Celtic, who were comfortably beaten 3–0 by the Italian giants in the Europa League.
The result leaves Nancy as the first Hoops manager to have lost in each of his opening two matches, following Sunday’s defeat to Scottish Premiership league leaders Hearts – and all with the Premier Sports League Cup final against St Mirren fast approaching.
However, the tame performance from the Scottish champions did little to sway Nancy, who remains committed to his footballing principles after implementing a 3-4-3 setup since taking charge.
When TNT Sports’ Connie McLaughlin questioned him about whether his ideas weren’t getting through to the players, he replied: “They tried, I cannot tell you they didn’t try. But we should have been able to connect a little bit more, but we didn’t.
“So again, this is the situation. I am not concerned, because I really liked the reaction and this is the most important. They deserved to score at least one goal and to see if the reaction changed.”
Nancy added: “I saw already good things. The result is not what we want for sure, but today I saw good things. I would like the results to change today, we play to win games, but the reality is this is not the situation.”
“At this moment it is a bit difficult. I believe my players deserved a little bit more (from the game), to score goals, but for the moment this is the reality.”
“We need to rest and prepare for the final, because this was not easy to prepare for the game – a week where we have the final, and have many games. But, this is the way it is. My belief in the players is really strong.”
With the Celtic supporters voicing their frustration at both the interval and at full-time, Nancy added: “I respect the fans. They are really important for us, this is the key. They know that we play for them, so this is key.”
“They are not happy with the situation, and they showed this. I know where we are going. This result is not what we want, but I see a lot of good things, and yes, patience is something important. But I know patience is difficult in football. I believe in what we do, and I believe that shortly things will go in our way.
That really has to happen on Sunday, Wilfried.
“I saw really good things.”
Despite defeat in his opening two matches as Celtic boss Wilfried Nancy insists that his team are on the right path 📈
Celtic play St. Mirren in the Scottish League Cup final this Sunday at Hampden 🏆 pic.twitter.com/nayAoZo0JV
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 11, 2025
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Celtic in the Thirties – An outstanding Christmas Gift for Celtic daft Auld Bhoy….
Unfortunately for Nancy, his actions and words to date, doesn’t really inspire confidence within his abilities as manager, to date imo?
Patience is of very low supply within our club at present, and doesn’t exist within the footballing city of Glasgow whatsoever. You only buy time with delivering victories, which makes the final on Sunday, even more important for himself?
Regardless, it doesn’t explain with the time factor involved, with his appointment, that such massive changes to the team have been introduced?
Fail to see, how such changes can be introduced, with lacking in the profile of players needed to play in such a manner?
Team selection is going to be massive come Sunday, and believe Paulo and kelchi have to be within our starting line-up for sure, within such a system imo?
We remain at desperately needing our right side of the team sorted out, and has been an issue all season to date?
Murray should have been the most natural for the right CB role, yet still nowhere to be seen yet?
Yang hasn’t done the worst in his new role, but we hardly offer an attacking threat from our right side of the park either?
Nancy has to find solutions, especially as time and patience isn’t available to himself whatsoever.
The overhaul of the squad, along with the injury list as it currently stands, isn’t going to get resolved in January either, simple as that.
Even now, the importance of our last 2 europa league games later in January, carry far more significance now, for our business to be conducted in January alone?
Our squad is going to get even more reduced shortly in the wide areas, with both seb and balikwisha away at the ACON.
Along with the injuries to forrest and Saracchi, leaving ourselves with next to nothing available in our wider areas, just to complete matches, within the current setup of our team?
Our wider areas, haven’t been functioning that well for months now either?
Really do wonder if any thought process, goes into the planning for the decision making, that’s required within our club?
It certainly is at shambolic levels for sure, and hardly a quick fix with the contracts of players involved contributing to the overall mess imo?