Wilfried Nancy cut a haunted figure on the Hampden touchline as Celtic collapsed to a third straight defeat and Keith Jackson summed up what most were thinking.
Going into the game, many hoped and predicted that it could be the fixture where Nancy’s style clicks and Celtic put in a good display. How wrong was that?
RecordSport’s Keith Jackson gave his take on the situation.
“The poor guy looked so utterly traumatised on the sidelines at the national stadium yesterday,” Jackson wrote, “that he might be too scared to go to bed in case he’s haunted by the experience again in the dead of night.”
It’s harsh, maybe even a bit theatrical. But it’s not completely inaccurate.
Because whatever the gameplan is under Nancy, it’s not working. Not yet.
Celtic have now lost to Hearts, Roma and St Mirren, the latter in a cup final that was supposed to bring some relief in what has been a turbulent season. Instead, it’s plunged the club into further chaos, with protests outside Parkhead and a fanbase growing louder in their discontent.
No Celtic manager has ever lost their first three games in charge. Nancy, unfortunately, now holds that record.
On the pitch, the signs are worrying. The players don’t look sure of their roles. The system appears too complex for the current squad. And the results are reflecting exactly that.
You can talk about transitions, injuries and lack of time, all of which are fair points. But when a Celtic team looks this unorganised, this unsure of itself, fans are going to react. They already are.
There’s a lot of season left to play. But unless things change quickly, not just in performances, but clarity and leadership, this could get a lot worse before it gets better.
And right now, Wilfried Nancy looks like a man who knows that better than anyone.
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