Wilfried Nancy's catastrophic 33 days in charge at Celtic

Gone in what seems like just 60 seconds, Wilfried Nancy departs Glasgow having learned that despite pleas for time and patience, life at Celtic is always lived in the fast lane.

The Frenchman only arrived at the Premiership champions on December 3 but in his short time in charge he seemed to put the team in reverse after Martin O’Neill’s repair job, and the Parkhead board has now acted to end a disastrous short tenure that echoes Rangers’ dismal time under Russell Martin.

Nancy’s record from his time in Glasgow will read as eight games in charge with just two wins and six sorry defeats but it was the last of those losses that underlined how lost Celtic looked under the former CF Montreal and Columbus Crew boss.

Celtic Manager Wilfried Nancy looks dejected during Celtic's loss to Rangers on January 3. — Celtic Manager Wilfried Nancy looks dejected during Celtic’s loss to Rangers on January 3. SNS Group

Losing to Rangers puts any Celtic manager on shaky ground but to lose 3-1 to a Rangers side who have had plenty of their own problems this season, at home and after holding a 1-0 lead at half-time is a seismic event that leaves today’s outcome as no surprise to anyone.

Nancy saw a performance that at times had “a really, really, really high level” and enough to give him faith that the team were on the right track. The Celtic support, and everyone else, saw a team that looked disorganised under pressure, were easy to figure out, and who had the same failings in his last game in charge as they did in his first.

Following serial trophy-winner Brendan Rodgers was never going to be easy, despite the troubled time leading up to his exit, but things were made more difficult for the new head coach when club legend O’Neill excelled in his interim spell, which was longer than Nancy’s entire tenure, adding to the feel-good nostalgia of his return with seven wins from eight.

Nancy during a press conference at Celtic Park, on December 10. SNS Group

Few Celtic fans would have complained if that caretaker set-up had continued, particularly in a busy run of fixtures, but Nancy arrived ahead of a huge week of games and was expected to hit the ground running.

Defeat to league leaders Hearts, a meek home defeat to Roma and then a cup final defeat to St Mirren where the holders were second best in every department was a dire, and historically bad, start for a Celtic manager.

Nancy’s insistence that he understood the importance of each defeat, and the need to win, seemed undermined by his insistence that he needed time, and his apparent incredulity at the fact that results were being questioned from day one.

He had a point, in so far as he had inherited a squad with glaring gaps, and so weakened from last season that Rodgers has been exasperated before his exit. The former MLS Coach of the Year had also arrived with a reputation for a very clear and definite formation and style of play, and few teams can change drastically overnight with no drop-off in results.

That unflinching attachment to a certain style of play is increasingly common, and was shared by Martin at Rangers, who constantly called for faith in ‘the process’, as well as numerous younger coaches across Europe. But seeing Celtic’s players struggle under a system that was clearly unsuited to them, particularly at the back, looked even worse in when compared to O’Neill’s pragmatic and ultimately successful shaping of a side that suited what he had at his disposal.

Martin O'Neill's time as interim boss was tough for Wilfried Nancy to follow. — Martin O’Neill’s time as interim boss was tough for Wilfried Nancy to follow. SNS Group

Following the cup final defeat, Nancy received public support from Thierry Henry, who had worked with his compatriot in Montreal.

“Let him cook,” the former Arsenal and France legend said.

In his next match, Celtic took the lead against Dundee United only to lose two second-half goals as Jim Goodwin adjusted his side to exploit weaknesses. It looked increasingly like Nancy only had one recipe to cook with, regardless of what ingredients he had.

Two victories were to follow but neither seemed to show a bedding in of ideas in the players, nor an adjustment from Nancy to the demands of the league, and it was no surprise when an in-form Motherwell side transformed under their own coach swept the champions aside last week.

Wilfried Nancy during Premiership match between Celtic and Aberdeen. SNS Group

The looming Old Firm derby increasingly looked make or break with fans openly calling for change in the dugout.

A lively media conference before the derby did little to convince doubters that Nancy was in the early days of a long stay in Glasgow. A seven-minute answer to one question had him not only telling experienced reporters to “do your job” and report on his past achievements (which they had) but also had him casting back to his first game in charge and how his side “should have won” in a manner that smacked of desperation.

Despite an attacking first half against Rangers, he couldn’t argue that his side should have won the derby. The visitors found a way to play through Nancy-ball with ease and reenergised their own title hopes at the expense of their rivals.

Nancy had little new to say after the final whistle, again finding positives and reasons for faith in his methods but any idea the players were true believers was shot down when midfielder Luke McCowan asked reporters, “When has it ever been this bad?”

On the pitch? Not in living memory. But it can’t be ignored that Nancy arrived at a time when the support was not in a forgiving or optimistic mood, with a sizable group already calling for the removal of the board over transfer policy, a perceived lack of ambition and general anger at the running of the club.

It can’t go unnoticed that the statement announcing Nancy’s departure also announced the exit of Paul Tidsdale, the head of football operations. The decision suggests pointing the finger at Tidsdale for hiring Nancy, but also looks to draw a line under questions about recruitment.

The Celtic board have acted swiftly enough that the season is still salvageable. Despite Nancy’s record, the defending champions are only six points behind leaders Hearts in the Premiership, and there’s still the Scottish Cup to play for. A new manager or head coach, appointed quickly, will also have time in the January window to bring in the players he needs to improve their chances, and Celtic have already committed to spending this month.

That opportunity comes with pressure for the Celtic hierarchy to make the right decisions, and there’s no indication of who they might look to, or even what profile of manager.

Nancy was brought in as the club looked for exciting, rising talent outwith the usual suspects as a way to get maximum bang for their buck. Ronny Deila had a similar reputation when he was brought from Norway and though he lasted a good deal longer, the former Stromsgodset boss failed to deliver the sustained success he promised.

Will Celtic once again seek out the hot property in less fashionable markets? Or will the success of experienced managers like Rodgers, Ange Postecoglou or O’Neill have them lean towards what might be regarded as a safer pair of hands after a chastening mistake?

Nancy’s awful month in charge won’t be easily forgotten, but Celtic’s next move will determine whether the season could still be memorable for more than just the shortest reign of any Parkhead boss.