“My job is to give them confidence,” Wilfried Nancy

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The Celtic Star

·15. Dezember 2025

“My job is to give them confidence,” Wilfried Nancy

Wilfried Nancy’s post match comments across all the media platforms yesterday did nothing but make matters worse for Celtic supporters listening to what the New Celtic manager had to say…

Callum McGregor of Celtic looks dejected after the team’s defeat during the Premier Sports Cup Final match between St Mirren and Celtic at Hampden Park on December 14, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

If the look on Callum McGregor’s face is anything to go by, then the Frenchman has lost the Celtic dressing room and quite possibly the Celtic support too.

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“I really believe we are going to click and move forward,” said Wilfried Nancy, after Celtic’s abysmal performance at Hampden yesterday as the new Celtic manager made it three defeats on the bounce against St Mirren as Celtic lost the Premier Sports Cup Final 3-1.

“We attacked in waves and waves in the first half and that is what we want to do,” Nancy told BBC Sport Scotland. “We are a bit fragile at the moment but my job is to give them confidence. I am happy to be here at this moment. I accept the challenge.”

Nancy continued: “I saw good things but it wasn’t enough to win the game. We are struggling, conceded a few goals from set pieces. We had to come from behind, we saw a good reaction. We had many opportunities inside the box to be better.

“When things don’t go the way we want we need to stick to what we do and play with more desire to play forward. I want to help the players with that.

“The results always count but I have to see beyond the result, I have to see what we need to do better to get a complete performance. This is something I discuss with the players and I think we’re going to be able to do it.

Callum McGregor of Celtic receives instructions from Wilfried Nancy, Head Coach of Celtic, during the Premier Sports Cup Final match between St Mirren and Celtic at Hampden Park on December 14, 2025.. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“It’s totally normal (that the supporters) are questioning me but I think I showed them that we can do better, I showed them the direction I want to go. This is part of the job. I know where we are now, I know where we want to go and I really believe we’re going to be able to click and move forward.

“It’s not the fans’ job to be patient but I tell them I am still working and I know what we want to do. I am strong. We are judged on results, I know my job regarding that. I try to go beyond the results and beyond winning. We have to win to give confidence, to buy time, I know that but I am going beyond that.

“I think we are a bit fragile at this moment but my job is to give them confidence and move forward.

“The feeling that I have is that when things don’t go the way we want we are struggling, this is totally normal. I have to help the players to be more confident.”

Celtic Chief Executive Michael Nicholson and Celtic Chief Financial Officer Chris Mackay in the directors box. Celtic v Hearts, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 07 December 2025. IMAGO photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

On the timing of starting with three huge games with just one day of training to prepare, a decision incidentally taken by the Celtic Board led by CEO Michael Nicholson, Nancy had this to say.

“No, I’m not like that. I know why I’m here, I’m happy to be here and I’m happy to be here at this moment. This is not a problem for me.”

Well, it’s a problem for us Wilfried. A massive problem.

Read this…

Wilfried Nancy talks about “self-doubt” inhibiting Celtic players. A flaw exposed under pressure is a frailty that good managers dispel through their own words, strength of personality and clarity of tactical demands. This is not a call for Martin O’Neill’s recall to the Celtic
– Montag, 15. Dezember 2025

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