Celtic’s 3–0 defeat to Roma at Parkhead was another tough European night, and Wilfried Nancy’s post-match comments gave a clear sense of the difficulties he faces only a week into the job.
Nancy has stepped into a demanding run of fixtures with very little time to prepare, and his reaction reflected both the reality of the situation and the amount of work that lies ahead.
There were small signs of improvement after half-time, but the damage had already been done. Celtic struggled to play out under pressure, failed to hold the ball in good areas and lost too many duels across the pitch.
Roma’s press caused problems from the start, and the early own goal only made the task harder. Nancy accepted the shortcomings openly, choosing not to deflect from what the supporters had seen.
His comments centred on physicality, decision-making and how well the team connects in key moments, themes he has mentioned repeatedly since taking over.
Nancy made it clear that effort was not lacking, but said the side simply couldn’t cope with Roma’s intensity and often missed the sharpness needed to break free of pressure. He also pointed out moments where Celtic dropped too deep or were too stretched, which made it harder to move forward with any purpose.
These issues mirror European problems that have troubled Celtic for years.
Nancy also highlighted the need for more composure. While he recognised some better spells in the second half, he stressed that Celtic must deal with pressure more confidently and show more conviction when chances to attack appear.
It was an honest but measured assessment from a manager still getting to know his squad. With the League Cup final against St Mirren looming on Sunday, his message was aimed at keeping belief intact while making it clear that certain weaknesses need to be fixed quickly.
He said: (BBC Sportsound), “We didn’t cope with the intensity.
“The battle of power tonight was a bit difficult.
“We were too soft at certain moments. We have to be stronger.
“In the first half we were too far apart… we need to be closer to connect and go forward quicker.”
These comments point to the wider problems Nancy is dealing with. Celtic’s struggle to match Roma’s intensity is something supporters have seen before in Europe, and Nancy made it clear the team must become tougher in these situations.
His focus on physical battles shows that the squad needs more strength in key areas where Celtic often fall short. January will matter for recruitment, but the players also need more time to get used to his approach.
His admission that Celtic were “too soft” at important moments will strike a chord with supporters who have said the same for years.
It reflects a lack of presence in challenges and an inability to put pressure on the game. Nancy’s call for players to tighten up their spacing and link up better shows he recognises the structural issues Roma exploited. These are problems that can be solved, but only with time, repetition and a team fully settled in the system.
Celtic remain in the Europa League league phase with matches against Bologna and Utrecht still to come in January, but the performances will have to improve quickly.
The team must reach a higher level of intensity against stronger opponents, and their play in the final third has to be more decisive. Nancy talks often about belief, but that belief must now be matched by sharper execution.
All of this leads into Sunday’s League Cup final against St Mirren, which now feels even more important.
Right now, Nancy is trying to keep the squad steady while setting clear expectations for improvement.
The next run of fixtures will show whether Celtic can respond to his demands and move forward with confidence, or whether the issues exposed against Roma will continue as tougher tests arrive.
Martin O’Neill. Bring him back.
Desmond sack this man immediately. We didn’t want him.
Shocking decision to hire him.
It enrages me that he will be in the dugout on Sunday and not O’Niell.
Saint Mirren are going to win.
O’Niell has been robbed of the fairytale.
Disgraceful on the board who should follow this arrogant yank frenchie out the door.
We
You really believe this?, the only difference between Rogers, O’Neil and current is that O’Neil was a bit more fortunate. Yes he instilled a little confidence, but the performances were mostly dire, with AN odd goal saving the day.
As pointed out these are failings we’ve had for years, but whisper it, last year with Rogers in Europe we actually appeared to show signs of getting away from it, only for the board to torpedo the team, and Rogers along with it.
Bet on hearts before game stupid 6-1 odds . st Mirren before hearts game 6-1 odds. St mitten after hearts 6-1 odds how strange.
He picked this soft team, but the football has been shite all this year.