Wilfried Nancy used his first full media appearance to outline one of the core principles he expects to introduce at Celtic: adaptability.
With little time on the training pitch before Sunday, Nancy stressed that Celtic’s improvement will come from understanding his ideas rather than rewriting the team in a rush.
The Frenchman’s reputation for tactical innovation has travelled with him from MLS, and his comments reinforced the importance he places on versatility.
His belief that players must be comfortable in more than one position fits naturally with a 3-4-2-1 shape, a system that demands mobility, intelligence and confidence in possession. Nancy hinted that Celtic’s squad already contains the raw ingredients required, but he also suggested there is more belief to be extracted from the group.
Another key line from Nancy centred not on Celtic’s opponents but on styles of play.
Instead of focusing on names such as Hearts or Roma, he spoke about analysing the structural tendencies of teams and preparing accordingly. For a side preparing for three very different matches within eight days, that approach appears central to how the new manager intends to navigate an intense run of fixtures.
Nancy also continued to emphasise humility, another theme that underpins his coaching identity. He wants players confident enough to take responsibility but grounded enough to accept challenge and correction.
His early observations suggest he sees a squad capable of growth, and one that should not fear being asked to stretch beyond its comfort zone as he begins moulding the team in his image.
He said: (Celtic FC YouTube), “The team has quality, quality players, but they have to believe a little bit more in themselves. And after that, tactical flexibility. We have players who can play in different positions.
“And for me, this is important to have players who are able to play two positions minimum. And this is really interesting.
“I like also the diversity with culture. I think that this is really important also to keep Scottish players, but also players coming from everywhere, good person. And the idea is to challenge them and the desire to do well.
“And for me, this is important. And the last point is humility, because I want my players to be confident, but I want them also to be humble because my job also is to challenge them for the best of the team”
“I know that it’s going to be good games, but the way I see things, every game is a good game because we play against a style of play. We don’t play against the name of the team, Roma, the way they play is not the same as Hearts and so on and so on and so on.
“But we know what we are in front of us. We know what we want to do. Now we’re going to take one game after one game and we’ll see how we’re going to be able to do that.”
Nancy’s comments offer an early window into how he intends to evolve Celtic without disrupting the momentum built under Martin O’Neill.
Flexibility has been a hallmark of his coaching career, and his insistence that players must be comfortable in multiple roles signals an imminent shift in the team’s tactical demands. It also suggests that selection over the coming weeks may hinge as much on adaptability as on current form.
His explanation about ignoring opposition names and focusing on their structures outlines a mindset rooted in method rather than emotion.
With three drastically different matches ahead, a league battle, a European test and a domestic final, that consistency of approach may help ease the growing tactical load on the players.
Nancy stressed that the learning process will be gradual, but the clarity of his language shows he already has a strong picture of where he wants the team to go.
There is also an undercurrent of challenge in his message: he expects players to welcome responsibility and embrace the demands of his system.
The reference to humility sits alongside his call for greater belief, forming a balance he clearly values. Belief without arrogance, confidence without complacency, these are traits that align closely with what Celtic supporters expect from their team.
A 3-4-2-1 shape requires trust, rhythm and clarity, and while he won’t have the luxury of time in the coming days, he does have a squad that has rediscovered its rhythm under O’Neill.
His insistence on flexibility may well become the defining theme of Celtic’s next phase, beginning with the first test of his tenure this Sunday.
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