Liam Scales has given a refreshingly honest insight into Celtic’s current moment of transition, offering a glimpse into how the players are preparing for life under new manager Wilfried Nancy.
At a time when supporters are reading up on every tactical detail from the MLS, Scales’ grounded approach stands out.
Celtic’s final weeks under Martin O’Neill were intense, emotional and jam-packed with fixtures.
The squad had little time to think about anything beyond the next match, let alone study the work of their incoming manager.
With the club now level on points at the top of the league and a huge clash with Hearts approaching, the players have been operating at full tilt. Scales is clear: focusing on results came before anything else.
His comments also underline something important about dressing-room dynamics. Players do not want false expectations, false assumptions or preconceived images of a coach before he arrives.
Scales recognises that understanding Nancy’s football will come from training ground clarity, not speculation. It reflects a mature mindset, one that fits the message Nancy himself has repeated about patience, communication and taking things step by step.
With Nancy meeting the squad for the first time at Lennoxtown, the learning process now begins.
And Scales appears ready to embrace whatever comes next without overthinking or clouding his judgement. For Celtic, that kind of open-minded stability across the squad will be crucial as a new era begins.
He said: (TCW), “I haven’t had time, it’s been so busy. Obviously, we know bits and pieces, but we can’t get ahead of ourselves.
“We needed to focus on the games that we have had, and now is the time where we’re going to have to really focus in on the tactical changes and whatever he wants us to do.
“It’s hard to do homework on someone you’ve never met because you don’t want to create a false idea of them.
“It’s better just to wait and leave them and really learn from them in person.”
Scales’ comments show a player who understands timing, a player aware that respect for the current process matters more than jumping ahead.
Celtic’s interim period under O’Neill was built on clarity, simplicity and unity. Scales’ approach mirrors that mindset. He didn’t want to treat Nancy as an abstract concept; he wanted to learn from him directly, properly and with an open mind.
It also highlights the trust the squad has in the club’s structure. They know the new manager has been chosen carefully.
They know change is coming, but they also trust that it will be introduced sensibly. Scales’ refusal to create a “false idea” of Nancy shows maturity, an understanding that managers need fair, fresh beginnings without assumptions hanging over them.
Scales’ comments suggest he is ready to take information as it comes, adapt to new demands and help maintain the defensive solidity that marked Celtic’s recent resurgence.
And as Celtic prepare for a defining run of fixtures, that calm, grounded perspective may be as valuable as anything on the tactical board.
The O’Neill chapter has closed, but players like Scales, steady, open-minded and eager to learn, are already helping ensure the transition into the Nancy era begins on the right footing.
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