“I only have 13 practices with my team, usually we have four weeks of preseason.” That’s what Wilfried Nancy said on Friday, before the weekend’s capitulation at Celtic Park. He added, “It’s totally normal that my players need a bit of time, it’s totally normal that my players could be confused at certain moments.”
The Gods of XG back up Wilfried’s belief that Celtic have been unfortunate in not picking up more points than they did. The defeat to Hearts falls into that category, but the second half turnaround by Dundee United and Newco, and entirely inept performances against St Mirren and Motherwell, deserved nothing better.
“New players, a bit of time” – elements the manager suggests will help. True. Spending many millions on players to beat St Mirren and Motherwell will almost certainly work. This is Scottish football. Read the Uefa league tables, if you want to check the standard. Our player stock is already vastly superior to anything most of our opponents can acquire, adding even more £1m salaried pros will inevitably help.
We can agree that without a preseason to practice, it is normal that players look as confused as they appear to be. The concern many have expressed, is why, when the required practice time was not available, or the squad not suitable, did we cast off in this direction?
My suspicion is, Wilfried looked at our history of winning practically everything, and perhaps the Uefa tables, and thought, “We’ve got this”. He surely did not expect Motherwell’s new manager to win so comfortably at home to Celtic.
Five weeks into the job, it is too late for the manager to revert to the system Martin O’Neill used to get Celtic consistently over the line (and little more). Wilfried’s reputation has been staked on this being the correct path. He will continue until it works or he is relieved of his duties. To be fair to Wilfried, this is probably the only way he knows to win, so he has no choice.
You and I have no experience of defeats arriving at this rate, so the impact is bound to be profound. That we are here due to a tactical change which has not had the required practice, points to poor decision making.
At that presser on Friday, Wilfried said, “Do your job”. The lad is bold, if nothing else. Having the best plan in the world is worth nothing if you allow the foundations to burn around you. It is time to get the job done, Wilfried.
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This is NOT a criticism of the decision.
We have now joined that ignominious list of clubs who have sacked managers after single digit weeks.
Thus, confirming fully and unequivocally to the entire world … quoting the chant directed towards Sam Allardyce from the Newcastle … er … faithful.
“You don’t know what your doing !”
Ach well.
We’ve been top dogs and cocks of the north for ages.
To borrow a quote from Layer Cake
“We’ve forgotten what sh1t even looks like”
Time for the club (the Corporate Entity) to eat crow (or sh1t)
Lots of it … coming from every direction … and there will be no time to filter the deserved from the undeserved.
Can’t run. Can’t hide. Can’t make it stop.
Anyway, looks like someone has gotten all mean and decisive.
PS – is everyone else’s phone doing the close encounters thing constantly ?
Just as important – Tisdale also gone
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/latest-celtic-news/celtic-sack-manager-wilfried-nancy-as-paul-tisdale-and-three-other-men-bulleted-after-33-day-horror-show-5463664
The statement on the website is just a holding statement…I would expect more pretty soon.They don’t have time to do a protracted time line.
One step at a time……….
THE BLOGGER FORMERLY KNOWN AS GM on 3RD JANUARY 2026 3:47 PM
“I think for a good part of that game it was clear which team had the better players. I also think it was clear in the game against Hertz.
Get someone in who can organise a team (Maloney was sitting in the stand!!).
Sign 3 more loanees who will start every week.
Get a couple of the injured players back for the run in.
Win the league.
Meanwhile in the background sort out what’s looking like an unholy mess.”
Favourites according to ODDschecker
Mon
Maloney
Ange
Brian barry Murphy
others then at odds that make them v unliley
Please someone who takes defending seriously, it’s a massive part of the game, please.
So how much has this latest experiment cost us?
By us I mean the people that put the money in
To amass £77m?
Is that now £10m in compensation payments and unnecessary salaries?
Rodgers will have been compensated, have no doubt, for his salary to the end of the seasons and he will have received a legal payment for the harm
to his character.
We then had to pay extra salaries that were not accounted for to MON, Shaun etc.
Now we have compensation to Columbus Crew and compensation to Nancy et al and Tisdale.
Spectacular. Truly outstanding mismanagement.
£77m reserving daily with managerial mistakes and boycotts.
I have no doubt Desmond will blame the support.
Why not just sell up now
Thank God. It’s heartbreaking to think that, bad this appointment not been made ( and as long as I live I’ll never understand how such an unqualified,inexperienced candidate even got considered) and had Martin and Shaun been asked to stay until the end of the season we could have been looking at another treble and probably at least 6 points ahead in the league.
Hopefully there’ll be a full inquiry into a catastrophic recruitment exercise.
That said, a few clubs and coaches have had a free hit for the last few months and in no way have they shaken us off.
Let’s hope for a common sense appointment without further disruption, and a powerful reaction from the players. We’re on the way!!
Finally if anyone who is looked at as manager mentions that they have a “philosophy” about how football should be played. They should be hounded.
… And really finally. What the hell with the black gloves?! I had a completely irrational response to WN’s.
The humiliation of the board is Now Global and Professional.
These are the people who employed someone who had to be sacked after 8 (eight) games in charge.
World Class indeed.
Who is holding the Fort, till permanent appointment?
TET
The same Motherwell manager who lost to the huns the week before? Not for me!
Hope you are good!
Time for a drink!!
Can we afford Martin O’Neill for 5 months!
Asking for a friend,
I hope rumours of Gordon Strachan being appointed DOF are purely that.
Wilfried Nancy has been sacked ,nobody likes losing there jobs,Tisdale also saced.whoever sanctioned these positions needs to be removed, What i would to see is a few in the Celtic Board is for them to be replaced, they have contributed to all this disharmony at the club .
One of my biggest regrets in this whole episode with revolving door managers and furious fans giving the board , the manager and even the players leaving the ground pelters , is that it has made us look as bad as the huns .
These are all the things we’ve been laughing at them for .
Lefty 4.02
Me!
Since we’ve been playing 3 at the back maybe Amorim is a possibility 🫣
It’s an ideal time for DD to ask some of the board if maybe they should b looking at their positions after this episode. Would b a natural reaction to resign due to the results, from their appointment, por cierto.
BRB
That will do for me.
Bookies have Maloney as favourite. Funny how when BR left we feared Shaun would be given the job now people are wanting him because it will be better than Nancy.
For me, Shaun’s next role should be an assistant coach IF the next manager wants him. He does not have the leadership skills. the presence, the gravitas we need now to rebuild the team and football infrastructure.
Winning the league is not the priority for myself.
It is getting our damaged club and reputation back on track.
Removal of the toxic environment and creating a more harmonious and respective atmosphere.
Moving to sew the divisions between our club and all sections of our fanbase.
I expect more to go backwards through the Parkhead gates.
Winning anything will require hard honest work from all parties. From meeting transfer aspirations to playing confidently in front of supportive fans.
Wow, those Kierat Almaty games were really season defining.
HH. The journey continues.
PS : I feel sorry for WN and his team, particularly their families. They should never have been asked to make such a big commitment without the necessary CV.
BRB
I got a text maloney, mcmanus and Fotheringhay.
Philbhoy
They lost to the hun, the referee and VAR, I just said take a look….
Good thanks, back to you, want a drink but now that I am TT
Take care
Fotheringham
Philbhoy – Motherwell played well against the Huns and were denied a stonewall penalty in the 90th minute. A few days later they played us off the park for 90 mins with a team whose combined wages wouldn’t add up to one of our top earners. Oh, he also has them only a couple of points behind us and them.
I doubt he will get it but I think he would be a good coach for us. maybe come the summer if we appoint an interim team for now.
Be prudent by all means but for goodness sake don’t cheap out Celtic. Get a respected manager in and just pay him. Like everyone else, I expect an interim. Maloney was at the game on Saturday. Standing by?
The current Board will be gone in its entirety by the end of the summer , Dermot needs to appoint a company doctor reporting to a new CEO ( by the end of Jan) , company doctor to recommend a new Target Operating Model (TOM) populated by professionals appropriately paid ( not the bonkers money of the current main players) , as the model is implemented, rolling series of hirings/ dismissals ….
This will be hard for Dermot to swallow , alternatively he can sell up to one of his mates , as his recent stewardship is clearly demonstrating he’s out of his depth in the modern football business; and mini Dermot is a non-starter.
Massive change to turn an essentially a family run business with a Big Dog owner disguised as a plc , into a proper functioning business.
This will take 3 years to get everything in place but there is a list of things needed to get the right people in the building.
HH
Does this mean Tidsdale will be “Brendan’s man” again? I can’t keep up.
TET
Good luck!
Every team in the league have had a stonewall penalty denied against the huns, so that disney count!
It seems Paddy Power have stopped takin’ bets on the next Celtic manager after Pete rhe Jakey was seem rummiging through the garbage cans outside Celtic Park. When challenged by reporters he had this to say “Why not? Sure, i’m aff the drink!”
“They’re waiting on an answer from Maloney but he’s out playing on his skateboard.” FF
Whoever was having broken sleep over the state of Celtic, you were not alone, start the healing now starting with stability in how we coach and approach games. I think it will be MON Maloney Fotheringham and McManus, but we need goalscorers now .
Back to Basics – Glass Half Full on 5th January 2026 3:56 pm
“Gotten” alert, 2nd last sentence.
Are you Celtic supporter based in North America? The land of Guns, God & Gottens
If so, go on yersel
EKBhoy on 5th January 2026 4:16 pm
The current Board will be gone in its entirety by the end of the summer ,
It may be before that EK,but I agree
HH
Surely our world class board haven’t sacked another manager without a plan?
Around 2:46 I posted a link to the Chris Farlowe video You’re Out Of Time and not long after Paul 67 informs us that Wolf’s gone. Prescient or what? I’m delighted because I can go to the game on Saturday to see The Bhoys 🍀🍀🍀☘️☘️☘️🤣
AuroraBorealis79, apparently Pete the Jakey has already been ruled out because he’s off the drink!