“We did a kind of ping-pong. We had the ball, we lost the ball,” Wilfried Nancy | OneFootball

Wilfried Nancy spoke to the mainstream media after Celtic suffered a 3-1 defeat to St Mirren in the Premier Sports League Cup final yesterday afternoon. Here is everything the Frenchman had to say…

St Mirren celebrate after their 3-1 win over Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup Final match between St Mirren and Celtic at Hampden Park on December 14, 2025.. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: What was your take on today’s events?

Wilfried Nancy: “Obviously it was painful, the result, especially for the players, for the fans, for the club. We conceded from a set piece; this is something we can do better. After that I liked the reaction because we had to come back from behind. I really liked the first half, the way we attacked the ball. We were in control of the game. So that was something that I wanted to do again.

Wilfried Nancy during the Premier Sports Cup Final match between St Mirren and Celtic at Hampden Park on December 14, 2025. (Photo by Vagelis Georgariou, The Celtic Star)

“After that, we started the second half. The first five minutes, we didn’t control the ball, take care of the ball. We started to play long balls, throw-ins, and so on. That’s why I was a bit frustrated, because I wanted them to keep doing what they did in the first half. After that, the second goal that we conceded, this is something that concerned me, because we weren’t in control of the game. We know that they can be good on counter-attacks.

“But we did a kind of ping-pong. We had the ball, we lost the ball. And this is the moment that I want my players to be more confident, to have more belief in themselves. Because when we are able to take care of the ball, with the desire to go forward and the desire to stay calm, we are really good. This is a bit my concern with my players.

Liam Scales of Celtic during the Premier Sports Cup Final match between St Mirren and Celtic at Hampden Park on December 14, 2025. (Photo by Vagelis Georgariou, The Celtic Star)

“This is the situation that I have with them, that they fight, they compete. But now, sometimes, we put ourselves in a situation, when we play, that this is almost impossible to keep connected. And this is something that I want them to be aware of. And I know that when they are able to be connected, this could be really interesting. So this is a bit of the work that I have to do with them, to give them this confidence, and to avoid the self-doubt that they can have when things don’t go the way we want in terms of results.”

Q: Why do you think that self-doubt is happening?

Wilfried Nancy: “Because I want to do well. I want to do well, so that we win games. And again, I have to tell them that we stay focused on the task. We have to go beyond winning. We want to obviously win this final. But to win this final, we didn’t win it, because we conceded goals. And also, the second half, we didn’t connect a bit like the first half, in the final third. And these are things that are clear that we need to work on. And I know where we are now. I know where we want to go.”

Q: Do you think your players are struggling to embrace your system?

Wilfried Nancy: “No, not at all. Because to be honest with you, we had really good performance in the first half against Hearts, the second half against Roma, and the first half today. So I don’t think that this is… Again, I’m questioning everything in terms of my job. Here, in the past, and so on, this is our job to all the time, try to find solutions. But I don’t see it like that. The structure that we had was very interesting. We were able to go wide, we were able to go through the middle, and we were able to attack the box. But after that, me, this is taking care of the ball. And this is the only way for us to maximise our chance to do better.”

Q: Can you put your finger on why a side that was winning the majority of games over a period of five or six weeks has suddenly capitulated in three big matches?

Wilfried Nancy: “No, I totally agree. Again, I know that I told them before the final that they deserve to have good results, because I know that I came in, and it was not easy for them in terms of change. They had to adapt. And the engagement, they are really engaged, so there is no doubt with that. We have to recognise when we have time on the ball to go to attack the box, recognise when instead of playing the long ball, recognise instead of playing back, can we play forward? This is more about the connection between one, two, three players. And because, again, the way we occupy the pitch today was really interesting.”

Q: Do you feel you’re a manager dealing with a crisis at this club?

Wilfried Nancy: “No, I knew that before. Before coming here, obviously, I try to analyse everything. So I knew the situation, but again, for me, this is not an issue. I just want to help my players to believe in themselves. Sometimes we’re going to play quick, and we have a lot of time to play and to go forward. Because again, the structure, since the beginning I came here, is interesting for me.

“I made a mistake the first half against Roma because I changed certain things, and after that I didn’t help them. But in the middle of the game, after that, they are able to adjust. So that’s why this is more about not the quality of the players, this is about localising a few moments during the game to do a little bit better and to be more dangerous.”

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)

Q: What is your message to disappointed supporters?

Wilfried Nancy: “I can understand that. I can tell them that, again, I want to do better, for sure, in terms of to help the players, and to have better results. But again, I’m asking them not to be patient, but to trust what I’m going to say, I can see evolution all the time, what we want to do. My point is, I can see something good, but this is not enough. We are not able to be consistent. I’m talking about the consistency. Obviously, I understand the fan reaction. This is totally normal. Yes, I can ask them to believe in me and to trust that I’m going to do things, but this is not my job to do that. I have to act instead of talking. This is what I’m trying to do.”

Wilfried Nancy during the Premier Sports Cup Final match between St Mirren and Celtic at Hampden Park on December 14, 2025. (Photo by Vagelis Georgariou, The Celtic Star)

Q: Do you still believe you have the character to come through this period?

Wilfried Nancy:  “No doubt. Because again, during the game, what we want to do, they did it. And I’m confident with that. I know exactly what we need to do to help the players. We had many situations where we were exactly on what we want to do, what I’m looking for. So before I came here, I knew the club and the standing of the club. For me, this is not an issue. I know what I need to do. For the moment, the reality is the last three games in terms of results is not enough. But in terms of how to do it and the way we want to do it, I’m really confident.”

Q: Is it becoming harder for fans to believe in you?

Wilfried Nancy: “I cannot control that. What I can control is what I do on the pitch to help my players to have a good performance. I can understand why the fans can doubt and results are results. So again, for me, my focus is really on what I need to do to find a solution.”

Q: Do you now have a clearer idea of where the squad needs strengthening in January?

Wilfried Nancy:  “Yes, yes. Obviously, this is something that we discussed before I came in. But the idea was to know a little bit more about the players. Now, step by step, I know more about the players, the way they train, the way they behave. We are working with the club to see what we can do during the window. But for me, this is more about what I have now and what I can do to be better with the players.”

Celtic players during the Premier Sports Cup Final match between St Mirren and Celtic at Hampden Park on December 14, 2025. (Photo by Vagelis Georgariou, The Celtic Star)

Q: Has the lack of confidence you mention surprised you, given the experience in the squad?

Wilfried Nancy:  “When I talk about the lack of confidence, I don’t know if this is the right word. Don’t forget I’m a French guy. Since I’m here, I’ve seen really good things that they do, and I want them to repeat that. But as soon as something is a bit difficult, we have too much self-doubt. These are the moments I want to help them with.

“It’s about how we connect, how we keep the ball, how we stay calm and composed. This is my concern. It’s not about the way we play, it’s about the composure we can have. When we have that, I really believe we can do something good. And we did it. It’s painful, obviously, especially for the players. But I know we can do it. I want more belief in what they can do. This is the gap I want to help them close.”

Conor Spence – In the press box at Hampden

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