NANCY ‘SPOOKED’ CELTS, INSISTS EX-HOOPS SKIPPER

FORMER Celtic skipper Jackie McNamara reckons the Hoops players were “spooked” by Wilfried Nancy’s team formation changes in the 2-1 loss to Hearts at Parkhead at the weekend.

The ex-Hoops defender insists it was “quite worrying” to see the champions fail to come to terms with the new manager’s preferred system of 3-5-2 after their success with interim boss Martin’s O’Neill’s more flexible 4-3-3 set-up.

Under the 73-year-old Irishman, the side notched up seven wins from eight games – including five successive Premiership outings to claw back the Tynecastle club’s eight-point advantage at the top of the table.

Nancy had the opportunity to lead the team back to the pinnacle on Sunday before their frustrating and disappointing defeat against Derek McInnes’ visitors.

WET, WET AND WET…Wilfried Nancy watches Celtic lose against Hearts in his Parkhead debut. 

Ironically, it was Celtic’s first league reverse since late October against the same team in Edinburgh, the loss that signalled the end of Brendan Rodgers’ second term at Parkhead.

Looking at Nancy’s false start in Scotland following his arrival from Columbus Crew late last week, McNamara, 52, said: “Players don’t like change, especially if it’s working – and it was.

“They had just got into a system. I thought the difference with Brendan to Martin; Brendan was more structured, he wants players to be in a certain place and Martin is more about freedom.

“I thought Martin had turned it around and had done a fantastic job. He simplified it and you are thinking at that point they’ve caught up with Hearts and have a game in hand, but the loss has set them back.

“I think it was quite worrying from a Celtic point of view, in terms of the change of shape and personnel, Nancy putting his stamp on it so early rather than saying: ‘Right you know what, I am not going to tweak too many things there’.

“When you go into a new job, it’s about winning. It’s not about passion or the other cliches.

“You need to win, in that football environment. The players don’t like change, they don’t like getting spooked.”

Nancy is now preparing his players for the home Europa League encounter against AS Roma where a victory is imperative for the team if they hope to qualify for the later stages of the competition.

CELTIC VIEWS…Wilfried Nancy gives his aftermatch thoughts to the champions’ TV channel.

Sitting on seven points, Celtic go into the confrontation against the team currently sitting fourth in Serie A following their welcome 3-1 success over Feyenoord in Rotterdam.

After that game, the holders will then turn their attention to the Premier Sports League Cup Final against St Mirren at Hampden on Sunday.

McNamara doesn’t think Nancy will alter his favoured formation for either clash.

The 33 times-capped Scotland international right-back, speaking to the Scottish Football Podcast, added: “I don’t think he will change.

“Afterwards he said it wasn’t the system that was the problem. He won’t think it is the system’s fault. The players have to respond, regardless.

“That’s why I think it was such a gamble to change Martin at this point.

“When a new manager comes in, the best time to do it is pre-season to work on a new system, everybody knows their job.

“All these memes about a tactics board – that shouldn’t be happening midway through a season.

“If the team is losing, yes, a new manager comes in, but Celtic were going very, very well. Now there is a big week coming up – Roma, who might exploit them defensively, and then a Cup Final.

“It’s a massive week, and the first bit they have got wrong.”

WISE UP, WILFRIED