Manager Celtic Wilfried Nancy of Celtic looks on after Celtic’s loss in the Premier League match between Motherwell and Celtic at Fir Park on December 30, 2025 in Motherwell, Scotland. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
How would you describe the mood of the players right now?
“Disappointed. But also, we know why we are here. I think that we could have done better things at certain moments. At the same time, the fact that we didn’t win the game that we were supposed to win, obviously affected everyone. But now, if I am cold and I analyse the performance, again, we don’t deserve to be there. But at the same time, we are not far because we are still close.
“That’s why it’s all about the perspective. As a manager, like I said, what I see every time is improvement. Yes, the game against Motherwell was a bit difficult for various reasons, and I knew that. But this is the way I want to go, this is the way I want to play. I know where we are now, and I know where we want to go. And I really believe that we are on the right track.”
Q: Have you had to do anything to lift the morale or the spirit of the players?
Wilfried Nancy: “Every day. When we win, there is also a certain thing that I don’t like that we need to adjust. And when we lose, this is also the same thing. Yes, it could be a bit deeper. But after that, I have to be factual. I have to see things. I have to show things. And after that, we discuss and try to improve.”
Q: Do you have to do anything special to prepare for this particular fixture? It’s your first time in the derby. Have you researched it? Do you know what’s about to be in front of you? The atmosphere of this particular match, the fury around you.
Wilfried Nancy: “If we put the result on the neutral side, rivalry, I know what it is. Now, this kind of rivalry, like I said, I know also what it means. I have many people who talk about that. And also when I was in France, when I was in the United States, I had friends between Celtic and (the)Rangers, so I know that. So now, the idea is to control what we can control. To be good for the practice. To review what we need to improve. To show what we did well. And to attack this game like a game that we want to attack.”
Q: The fans have been unhappy with the board. They’ve been unhappy with the team, with yourself. How important is it tomorrow for this game that everyone comes behind you, behind the team, and are united as one?
Wilfried Nancy: “No, this is not about being important. The fans want us to win games and to do well. We know that. And us, we want to do well for the club, for the players, and also for the fans. And I know the meaning of that. I know that this game is important. But what I can tell everyone is we’re going to start this game knowing that it’s not a normal game. We know that. Because this is a reality. But after that, I can say that it’s not a normal game. But we still have to attack. We still have to defend. We still have to compete. So, it will not change.
Manager Celtic Wilfried Nancy of Celtic looks on after Celtic’s loss in the Premier League match between Motherwell and Celtic at Fir Park on December 30, 2025 in Motherwell, Scotland. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
“What is going to change is the emotions. So, if we are one up, how are we going to deal with that in the score? If we are one down, how are we going to deal with that to come back? So, in this, the emotions are more difficult to balance because of the context of the game. So, that’s why, for me, it’s something that we know. Something that we are looking for. And the only thing to get good at is to be clear and precise regarding what we want to do on the pitch.”
