Wilfried Nancy’s first league match as Celtic manager ended in disappointment, and his post-match comments have already become a talking point among supporters.
It was an answer rooted in philosophy and long-term thinking – but one that will not land smoothly with every fan.
Celtic supporters, especially in December with a title race unfolding, tend to demand more straightforward sentiments.
They want urgency, accountability and above all, wins. Nancy’s calm, process-driven language will appeal to those who admire tactical clarity and patience, but it will also provoke frustration among fans who believe the club cannot afford to drop points while waiting for a new identity to take shape.
Nancy’s intention wasn’t to downplay the importance of winning. Rather, he tried to explain that the fastest route to consistent results is to establish clear principles first: connections, structure, personality, and mentality.
But the optics of saying “I’m not about losing or winning” in the immediate aftermath of a damaging defeat were always going to be difficult, especially when Celtic now trail Hearts at the top of the table.
Still, Nancy was measured, composed and unwavering in his belief that the team will improve once his ideas begin to take hold. Whether the support fully buys into that message remains to be seen.
He said: (Sky Sports), “I’m not about losing or winning, I’m about having a good performance.
“We all want to win. But for me, we will look at what we can do better. The most important thing for me is what can we do better when we attack or when we defend and in terms of mindset.
“For me, if we are better with that, we will see the results. Obviously we wanted a different result and that is totally normal but for me it doesn’t change anything.
“It’s more about the way we are going to keep going, and step-by-step, I think it’s going to be interesting.”
Nancy’s philosophy is built on the belief that performances shape outcomes. It’s not a controversial stance in elite football, where many modern coaches emphasise process over emotion. However, Celtic is not a patient environment.
Supporters expect the team to win while playing well, not to play well so they can eventually win. There is a distinction, and it is this distinction that will divide opinion.
Some fans will view Nancy’s comments as refreshing honesty from a coach who refuses to panic after just three days in the job.
They will admire the fact that he immediately recognised tactical issues, highlighted specific areas for improvement and made it clear that he values clarity over excuses. For those supporters, Nancy’s calmness is a sign of authority rather than apathy.
Others, though, will feel differently. When a new manager loses his debut at home in a top-of-the-table clash, the expectation is for a more forceful acknowledgement of the stakes.
Brendan Rodgers, Ange Postecoglou and Martin O’Neill all understood that at Celtic, winning is not optional, it is fundamental to the identity of the club. Nancy’s attempt to reframe the narrative around performance might therefore be interpreted as tone-deaf, even if it was not intended to be.
It also arrives in the context of growing frustration with the board, recruitment stagnation and now a director of football caught on camera appearing to fall asleep during the match.
Nancy’s words, fair or not, will become part of a wider debate about leadership at the club and the direction Celtic are heading.
That said, nothing unites supporters like winning matches. If Celtic respond quickly, beat Roma, and lift the League Cup, this early controversy will fade into the background.
Nancy’s emphasis on performance will then be seen as a foundation for success rather than a distraction from shortcomings.
For now, Nancy has laid out his philosophy. The challenge is simple: he must turn performances into victories, and he must do it fast.
At Celtic, process matters, but winning still matters more.
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One Response
It was not a wise move to change the team setup so quickly – before the players are used to his system. He said he was not going to change the team setup and tactics beyond a few nuances, but what he did today, although it produced some moments of great possibility, ultimately confused some of the players and left the team wide open at the back. Ronny Deila, if I recall correctly, also claimed that he would have success once his system clicked with the players, but that was not accepted by the fans who wanted to win games. I hope Wilfried gets to grips with the reality pretty quickly. He has to win games or he will be sent packing fairly quickly. The fans are not interested in performances, they want results.