Celtic 1-3 theRangers – “The details killed us today,” Wilfried Nancy

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The Celtic Star

·3 janvier 2026

Celtic 1-3 theRangers – “The details killed us today,” Wilfried Nancy

Wilfried Nancy made it through to the post-match media conference stage today without being sacked and he went on to re-assure the Celtic support that he’d still be our manager in the coming weeks as he has the full confidence of the self-proclaimed world class in everything that they do, Celtic Board…

Here’s what the Frenchman was saying after the second half collapse against theRangers led to a 3-1 defeat. Had the league started when Nancy took over Celtic would be in danger of being RELEGATED!…

Wilfried Nancy, Head Coach of Celtic, reacts during the Scottish Premiership League match between Celtic and theRangers at Celtic Park on January 03, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

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Q: How do you summarise that performance from your team?

Wilfried Nancy: “The first half was outstanding, offensively but defensively also. The commitment to win the ball back, the intensity that we put in, we should have scored more goals. The second half, we wanted to do the same and we conceded one goal on a throw-in. After that, the second goal was one throw-in and the third goal was one throw-in. So this is the reality actually. I think my players deserve better for sure, because of what they did in the first half and also when they started the second half, but the details killed us today.”

Q: Why does it seem that this team can’t deliver a 90-minute performance? Because in many of your defeats, you played well in one half and then not in the second half. Why is that?

Wilfried Nancy: “This is something that we are working on. There is a bit of everything. It could be the consistency to keep the intensity. But also for me, I think the intensity was there. This is more about details. Small details today was the case with the goals that we conceded. Again, I can talk about focusing, and I can talk about many things, but we have to be better on this one.”

Wilfried Nancy, Head Coach of Celtic, reacts during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Rangers at Celtic Park on January 03, 2026 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: Those fans outside right now, they’re unhappy. What would you say to them right now?

Wilfried Nancy: “Yes, I can understand that. I think that they were behind us in the first half. They pushed us in a good way. After that, I can understand why they are disappointed regarding the fact that we had many possibilities to win the game. I know that I repeat myself, but it happened in the past also. We are in many games. I think that they really enjoyed the first half. I saw a team of players that they were giving everything with the ball and without the ball. So they see the direction that we want to go, but consistently for 95 minutes.

“After that, the fact that I know the meaning of this game, I know that and it’s worrying for them. But what I can tell them is what we did during the first half and also a certain moment in the second half. This is what we want to do. But at the same time, we know that we cannot accept to conceded goals like this. And this is something that we’re going to work on.

Youssef Chermiti of theRangers scores his team’s second goal past Kasper Schmeichel of Celtic during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and theRangers at Celtic Park on January 03, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: Do you accept the fact that many fans now do not want you to be the manager of a football club? Can you understand why they’ve come to this decision? They’re still outside at the moment.

Wilfried Nancy: “Yes, the result. This is the way it is for the moment. And when I say this is the way it is, it doesn’t mean that I am a defeated guy. No. What I mean is we are really close to turning things around. And again, I repeat myself, but I can understand the situation.’

Q: Do you worry about your own future at this point in time after six defeats in eight?

Wilfried Nancy: “I don’t think about it. I think about finding ways to help my team to be good on defence.”

Yang Hyun-Jun of Celtic scores his team’s first goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and theRangers at Celtic Park on January 03, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: Do you see enough from the team to put faith in yourself that you can turn this around?

Wilfried Nancy: “Yes, I see enough, except for the fact that we didn’t score more goals. And again, the level up. I know that we lost, but I have also to be objective. And the level up that we had at a certain moment was really, really, really high. This is a reality. And I would not talk like that if it weren’t the case. But that’s why this is, in terms of results, again, that’s why I said that this is the same story. And we all know that. And that’s why I said that we are really close to things turning around. But for the moment, details, details, details.”

Q: You say you’re not a defeated guy. Do you still feel that you can succeed in this job this season? The league title is still there for you to play for. Is that how you feel?

Wilfried Nancy: “Yes.”

Rod Stewart prior to the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and theRangers at Celtic Park on January 03, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: What gives you confidence that you will turn it around?

Wilfried Nancy: “Because I watched every game and I saw many, many good things that we did, like today again. But now it’s about consistency. So my narrative would not be the same if it was not the case. But this is the case for the moment. So that’s why I am a big believer that we’re going to be able to turn things around.”

Q: And you expect the board to continue to give you time and support in this January transfer market as well?

Wilfried Nancy: “We are together with the board.”

Q: You don’t have any fears about the confidence of the players after more defeats?

Wilfried Nancy: “When we lose, when someone loses, the confidence is going to be low. It’s clear. But we have also many things that I can show, and we will discuss that with the players, that the confidence could be high. And now it’s all about finding a balance with the details. This game today, was about details. So we can concede goals. We conceded so many goals, and the goal that we conceded, we know that we can do better. And yes, we lost again, and nobody is pleased with that because of what we did, because we deserved better. But at the end of the day, details and we lost again.”

A memorial message is displayed in remembrance of the late John Robertson, former Scottish football player, prior to the Scottish Premiership League match between Celtic and theRangers at Celtic Park on January 03, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: One of the accusations against yourself and the team is that at half-time, teams figure out a way to play against your style and your team. What do you think of that? Do you accept that?

Wilfried Nancy: “No, this is not about accusation. People can analyse the situation. But after that, like I said, we… I’m going to talk about today. We came back, second half, and we were on the game. And again, we conceded a goal on throw ins. So after that, yes, we want to push. Yes, we want to go. After that, emotionally and mentally, it could be a bit difficult. And we conceded a second goal like this. So it’s not about trying to match. This is about trying to find a way to be more consistent with these details. The game is like this. But the idea is to move up with that. And I think that we could have done better on that. But the context of the way we conceded helped them today.”

Q: To be fair, Wilfried, you’ve been saying the same things since you’ve become Celtic manager after most games. What is it that players are not getting in your mind?

Wilfried Nancy: “It is not that they are not getting. I am with my players. I’m not here to pinpoint who missed the chances because everybody missed. But again, the execution, I think that this should be better. And they work every day to do it. So again, I am with my players. I want to protect my players. I know that they do the maximum that they can do. After that, there is a moment like today, that no, we have to be better in this moment, in these details. But this is what I feel.”

Q: Wilfried, you inherited a very good situation from Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney. Those players don’t appear to be the same players that are under your care. Would you not accept that that’s a bit of a problem for the rest of the season?

Wilfried Nancy: “In terms of results, yes. I cannot deny that. After that, they struggle through certain moments. But they find a way to win. I cannot deny that. So now, I think that small margins, because again, the first game against Hearts, if we win the game, if we score the goals, I think that it could be different. So now, this is the situation. And when we lose, it could be difficult. But I know that my players are strong also to be able to win back.”