Three in a Row – Wilfried Nancy’s Bhoys Capitulate Yet Again

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The Celtic Star

·15 December 2025

Three in a Row – Wilfried Nancy’s Bhoys Capitulate Yet Again

Wilfried Nancy oversaw his third defeat in his first three matches as manager of former European giants, Celtic…

The most shocking aspect of this sad stat is that very few of us were surprised, despite the magnitude of those games.

Losing to Hearts at Celtic Park when we needed a win to overhaul the league leaders gave us a clue as to what was to come; an insipid outing which had the fans pouring out the stadium in droves long before the final whistle.

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This ‘riddy’ was to become a common occurrence over the next week or so.

‘Some of them don’t know what they are doing!’

Being humiliated by Roma, again at Parkhead, had Irish gun Evan Ferguson scratch his head whilst speculating, ‘Some of them don’t know what they are doing!’ How embarrassing was that? Yeah? Hold my beer…

Aged 66, I dredged myself out of my bed at 1:30am to hopefully see the Bhoys redeem themselves in the Premier Sports League Cup Final. I should have stayed under the sheets, as should some of the players who looked half-asleep!

Nancy’s Bhoys meekly surrendered to a valiant, STRUCTURED St. Mirren, and I struggled to believe what I was seeing at Hampden.

The way it has panned out has vindicated the board’s sceptics

There’s much debate about the timing of the appointment, and the way it has panned out has vindicated the board’s sceptics. Is there any other kind?

Celtic has ‘enjoyed’ an inauspicious season to date, culminating in Brendan Rodgers handing his badge back. The great, Martin O’Neill was ‘jetted in,’ a buzz line the red-tops love to use.

Reo Hatate of Celtic scores 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)

Martin steadied the ship, won most of his games, and beat theRangers in the semi-final of yesterday’s Cup. The manner of his victories were not in the sensational variety, but workmanlike and controlled; his tools dictated this.

The Irishman was lauded for his ability to get a tune out of several ‘stars’ who had failed to shine previously, and his main gift was, organisation. Note that; it would be absent for quite some time following his departure.

With the three biggest matches to date on the horizon, the board decided that O’Neill has done enough, and Columbus Crew boss, Nancy was ‘jetted-in’; yes, there’s that buzz word again, a feel-good deception?

It’s safe to say the current situation at Celtic is shambolic

The Frenchman brought in a brand-new formation and structure, one the team has struggled to successfully adopt. With three losses in-a-row, eight goals against and only two for, it’s safe to say the current situation at Celtic is shambolic.

Whose fault is it? Three questions…

Peter Lawwell, Chairman of Celtic has a drink 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)

Why did the board get rid of Martin with three high-profile matches looming?
Why bring in a stranger to Scottish football, one whose track record to date is highly questionable?
Why expect a squad with a set-in-stone culture and tactical awareness adopt a strategy which is foreign to them during these vital matches?

It has cost us a top-table berth and lost us a major domestic trophy. That is beyond questionable, it is unconscionable.

The wise man would keep the icon until the end of the season and allow the rookie to deploy his new tactical structure during close season, giving players (old and new) time to adopt and accept.

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)

There are not many wise men around Celtic Park these days I fear and should the Championship Flag be surrendered due to board or managerial incompetence, the storming of the Capitol may look like a picnic in the Park-head. I pray not.

Celtic’s new boss may well pull out a plum and bring the glory days back to Celtic. He has not had the players, nor the time to fully implement his ideas and structures.

Jonah Ayunga of St. Mirren scores his team’s second goal whilst under pressure from Kasper Schmeichel 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)

Time is not a commodity Wilfried Nancy has, and the same could be said of his abject paymasters.

There is a League and Scottish cup double to win. Bring them home or get out-all of you!

Eddie Murray

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