It’s all about winning Wilfried, so play our best players

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·08 de dezembro de 2025

It’s all about winning Wilfried, so play our best players

In Glasgow it’s all about winning Wilfried, as you’ll soon understand…

Luke McCowan waits to come on. Celtic v Hearts, Scottish Premiership, Football, Celtic Park, 07 December 2025. IMAGO Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

Look Ange Postecoglou used to say the same sort of thing and it didn’t do him much harm as Celtic manager, although that was not the case in English football, especially at Nottingham Forest.

Vídeos OneFootball

Interesting comments from Wilfried Nancy after debut defeat

Wilfried Nancy had an interesting choice of words to share after his baptism of fire as Celtic manager, and it’s fair to say that perhaps he’ll re-evaluate said words in the course of time. Wilfried reckons that it’s not all about the winning, and more about the performance, incidentally we had neither of those traits to talk about yesterday.

Daizen Maeda of Celtic dejected at full-time. Final score Celtic 1 Heart of Midlothian 2. Celtic v Hearts. Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 07 December 2025 IMAGO Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

Daizen Maeda missed two big chances to put Celtic ahead

Yes we had a decent start to the game as Hearts parked the didn’t look a threat at all until that rather freakish opener. By that time Celtic’s bright start, when Daizen Maeda really should have had us in front, started to fade as Hearts began to feel more comfortable, having weathered the Celtic storm.

The Frenchman has been accustomed to the MLS landscape for quite some time, and it shows, as performance stats and data might be all well and good in the land of soccer, but here in the harsher lands of Fitbaw, and especially in the goldfish bowl that is Glasgow, it is all indeed about the winning part, losing doesn’t come into the equation.

Continues on the next page…

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy arrives prior to the Premier League match between Celtic and Heart of Midlothian at Celtic Park on December 07, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Two tough matches for Wilfried Nancy this week

Something he’s going to find out the hard way if we don’t get a positive result on Thursday night against Roma, or indeed the more vital game that is next Sunday at Hampden as we take on St Mirren in a bid to win the first trophy of the season in the Premier Sports Cup Final. It’s a journey to Hampden started by Brendan Rodgers to get Martin O’Neill into the semi-final against theRangers and now it’s Wilfried Nancy’s task to win the match and lift the trophy.

Celtic will have played twice before a well rested St Mirren side take the field at the Cup Final against the current holders. The timing was terribly risky but Nancy had to get down to business at some time so we can’t dwell on that. He now has some time over the next few days to evaluate the performances – both individually and collectively – and look at the squad as it currently stands to see what can be done on Wednesday night against a technically gifted Roma side who defeated Midtjylland in their last Europa League match, while also winning at Ibrox earlier in their campaign.

Paulo Bernardo at Firhill. Partick Thistle v Celtic. Premier Sports League Cup. Sunday 21 September. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Failure to win our next two fixtures, and Wilfried will soon understand that it is indeed all about the winning at Celtic Football Club. Roma will be tough but with the right attitude, approach and performance Celtic could get something from the match. Players like Paulo Bernardo and Kelechi Iheanacho should be in the new manager’s thoughts for this match.

Kelechi Iheanacho scores for Celtic Crvena zvezda v Celtic, UEFA Europa League, Football, Rajko Mitic Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia – 24 Sep 2025Belgrade Rajko Mitic Stadium Serbia Photo Nikola Krstic Shutterstock

On social media the @aboutCeltic accounted pointed out that “Celtic purchased three attackers during the summer transfer window for around £12M. We’re now in December and they’ve registered just one goal and one assist between the three of them in the Scottish Premiership.”

In response to this a Hearts supporter noted: “Meanwhile, Hearts front three have 26 goal involvements this season, costing £450k.”

Celtic purchased three attackers during the summer transfer window for around £12M. We’re now in December & they’ve registered just 1 goal & 1 assist between the three of them in the Scottish Premiership.
– domingo, 7 de dezembro de 2025

On Thursday night Nancy should consider moving Maeda to the left wing, playing Iheanacho through the middle and keeping Yang on the right wing.

If he’s going four in the middle – he found out yesterday that Nygren doesn’t work playing alongside Hatate and he actually hinders the Japanese international’s game. Play Reo, Engels, McGregor and Bernardo.

With Schmeichel having Trusty, Scales and Tierney ahead of him.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

GREEN FRIDAY SALE AT CELTIC STAR BOOKS NOW ON!

Green Friday Sale Now ON – All books shown now HALF PRICE at just £10 each!

Green Friday Sale Now on at Celtic Star Books, all books other than David Potter’s Celtic in the Eighties, are now HALF PRICE! Great Christmas Shopping bargains, choose from Celtic in the Thirties, volumes One and Two, Harry Hood – Twice as Good, Bould Bhoys – Glory to Their Name – The Story of Celtic’s First Title Win, Invincible, Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style, Majic Stan and the King of Japan – Gordon Strachan’s first season at Celtic and there are also a few remaining copies of Alec McNair – Celtic’s Icicle.

All these books shown below are now HALF PRICE at only a TENNER each and please note that you will only be charged postage on the first book in your order, so order two or more and get FREE postage on the second book onwards.

Shop now at Celticstarbooks.com and support the great historical writing from our authors on The Celtic Star. High quality hardback books and the best Celtic writers all in one place. Also if you are ordering any of Matt Corr’s books he’ll be happy to add a personal dedication, just ask in notes when ordering and Matt will do the rest!

Half Price Sale Now on – All these books now only £10. Click on image to order.