Wilfried Nancy has been in Scotland for less than a week and in the Celtic dugout for one match. Yet the mainstream scrutiny has already veered into the absurd and is getting more personal by the day.
On Tuesday, the Daily Record rolled out former Hearts midfielder Ryan Stevenson and gave him a platform for a remarkable personal tirade at the new Celtic manager. Not on tactics or decisions, but on a tactics board and the colour of the Frenchman’s shoes.
Celtic lost 2-1 to Hearts at Celtic Park on Sunday. The team started well, then faded, and Hearts were savvy enough to take the points. It was a poor result, but hardly a shock given Nancy met his players for the first time on Thursday. You would not know that from some of the reactions.
Stevenson opened fire: “There’s a certain DNA to clubs like Celtic. So when a new manager arrives and starts pulling out tactics boards and green trainers you have to ask yourself, ‘What are we actually dealing with here?’”
He added: “I’m not even a Celtic fan but I’m absolutely raging about what I’ve seen from Nancy in his first day in the job.”
His criticism centred on a photograph circulating online. “There’s a photograph doing the rounds from the second half which sums it up perfectly. Nancy is standing with his little tactics board, trying to explain something to Callum McGregor. Derek is in the background with a look on his face which almost screams, ‘What the hell is this guy all about?’”
Stevenson continued “I’m sorry but Nancy simply won’t get away with gimmicks like that at Celtic Park. If you are going to be the manager of Celtic, you should not be standing at the side of a pitch trying to figure things out on a tactics board. The ideas should be in your head already.”
“You have to, at the very least, give off the impression that you are in control and that you know how to solve problems. Yeah, but he is a student of the game? Please, give me a break with that patter. I cannot stand it. Just make a decision.”
Let’s get this straight. This is manufactured outrage. Celtic fans were split over the tactics board on Sunday. We understand the optics can be bad. Fair enough. Supporters debate everything and it’s not something fans are used to here. When you lose, it becomes fair game for ridicule in many corners, rightly or wrongly. However, what the Daily Record published goes well beyond a reasonable critique of an early performance. It is a personal attack on a man who has not had any time at all in the job.
The wider context matters. Celtic fan media, including Celts Are Here, have had press access suddenly placed under review. We have been told to wait. We have been given no explanation. We cannot ask the new manager questions on behalf of supporters. Yet outlets that publish pieces like this have open access and a clear pathway to shape the narrative.
Nancy deserves time. He deserves support. He deserves to be judged on his work, not mocked for wearing green trainers or for using a coaching tool that is standard in modern football. The treatment he has received in parts of the Scottish media so far has been astonishing. Celtic supporters who have taken part in this should also have a look at themselves.
He is in the door two minutes and already the knives are out. It’s telling, and we have seen it before. Who knows how this will pan out, but the Frenchman deserves time and patience to implement his style.
You have the nerve to fight back against this? Of all people? YOU?
You have done nothing but attack Wilfried Nancy since we hired him, INCLUDING his use of the choice of his tactics board!
You’re pretty two-faced don’t you think?
You have been like a vulture, desperate and licking your lips waiting for a mistake!
Just wait and judge him in May! Not after 90 minutes where we actually dominated the game, even if we did concede two goals to the ONLY two attempts by Hearts!
Let’s not forget, neither under backstabbing Rodgers, nor MON, have we exactly been scoring goals galore this season!
In fact, if you’re looking to be honest, let’s not forget we STOLE three points from St. Mirren last week and against Dundee in midweek!
Yet we all sang the praises of MON!
You are two-faced M.Ross!
Well done Daily Record. Speaking the truth. We want Martin O’Neill back.
We want Martin O’Neill
Martin Saves
David please speak for yourself.
Wilfried has had no time to train his players in his tactical positions yet there were good signs that it can work.
In a short time I am sure he will identify the players who are incapable of playing to his system and replace them with ones who can.
Let’s remember if Maeda had scored his two great chances against Hearts we would have won.
And you provide a link directly to that rag and its attack. What a f@ckin’ hypocrite. Linking to these anti-Celtic rags, regardless of their stories, you are sending traffic to that rag which creates advertising revenue for that very rag. Not exactly the brightest bulb in the box, are you?
Partially agree with Ryan’s comment. I agree Wilfred hasn’t had much time with the players, but he knew he was coming for a good while before it was finalised. The first thing he should have been doing after meeting the players and knowing that he had a top of the table clash on the Sunday, should have been spending time studying videos of how Hearts play. That would have avoided the bad look of the mini tactics board on Sunday and the information would have been in his head to allow him to make tactical changes as required.
On the plus side we dominated the game, albeit playing in a strange system for the players.
Hopefully Wilfried will go from strength to strength and realise that one system does not suit all games. Flexibility is required.
We don’t want Wilfried to be Celtic’s Russell Martin.
Not like you im a Celtic fan and I can never get used to the depth some newspapers go to ryan stephen good pro he should know pouring rain first game what else he going to show his captain what he wants so he is using the board he has used all his managerial careerar his pen and paper never worked when trying to take notes highlighted by skysports director when game we are paying over the top was going yet he thought a coach struggling to write in heavy rain so he so when he notice a tactical move what other way is he going to show his leader on the pitch and if you recordered the game as I have even if I was at the game Most the time our coaches meaning Rodgers and O’Neil turned to Strachan how displays same thing as board only its more private weather wise was a no no and only thing that makes sense on these conditions was what he knows and after he showed McGregor what done Celtic missed two really good chances and scored so maybe just luck but id hope its what he wanted on tacticted not what was described as connect board fans that been going to football for decades dont need prople to tell them about why and how board was used cheap comments from sky commentator he can be excused as he just there for these comments buy ex footballers thats just playing to there pals