Celtic Board Set Wilfried Nancy Up To Fail – Ex-MLS Boss | OneFootball

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Former MLS boss Steve Nicol has taken aim at the Celtic board and accused them of setting new boss Wilfried Nancy up to fail.

Nancy has only just taken over as the boss at Parkhead, but has become the first Celtic manager to lose four games in a row since Jock Stein 47 years ago.

The Frenchman lost his opening three games in charge, and with a fourth defeat on Wednesday, a 2-1 loss at Dundee United, many are wondering if his time is already up in Glasgow.

Former Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart remarked recently that Nancy might not have the full understanding of the job he has taken in hand, but with fans showing their unhappiness after the final whistle at Tannadice, the ex-MLS boss is likely to know the team are falling short.

Nancy’s appointment has drawn widespread criticism, particularly because he replaced interim head Martin O’Neill, who had successfully steadied the ship after Brendan Rodgers left the club.

O’Neill had a perfect domestic record during his stint, winning five league games and also qualified for the Scottish League Cup final after beating Rangers in the semi-final.

Nancy was highly rated in the MLS and Nicol, who himself managed in the United States, believes that the Celtic board have set Nancy up to fail by throwing him in at the deep end.

Nicol added that the timing of Nancy’s arrival at the club has not done the Frenchman any favours as he replaced one of the most popular figures at Celtic Park in O’Neill, after a successful interim managerial stint.

He further remarked that the Celtic squad are looking disjointed on the pitch which is to be expected as Nancy has brought in his playing style in the middle of the season.

“In terms of the board, the board have set Nancy up to fail that is what they have done”, Nicol said on ESPN FC (13:00).

“Probably the most important week in the recent history at the club, they are playing Hearts who are top of the league, they are playing Roma and then they are playing a cup final.

“And you have had a Martin O’Neill who has absolutely calmed everything down, now anybody who knows anything about football would know that a new manager walking into any team, it is going to cause a little bit of turmoil until they figure out who wants what.

“But yet this guy has just been thrown to the wolves and said ‘you have to beat Hearts, who are top of the league, who are flying and then you have got one of the toughest games you have had in how many years, in Roma and then you have got a cup final’.

“And all of a sudden they look disjointed.

Time could be running out for Nancy if Celtic’s slide continues, but even if he survives longer he has been warned he will need to win the Scottish Premiership title this season to justify his appointment.

With the Bhoys six points behind leaders Hearts and questions over how much backing Celtic will give to Nancy in the January transfer window, it remains to be seen if Nancy is able to turn his disastrous start around.