It is very easy to root for Wilfried Nancy. A likable, passionate individual whose career has taken him from unheralded player to the forefront of a club the size of Celtic should be worthy of high praise. It also feels only two games into the Frenchman’s tenure in Glasgow that he requires all the support he can get.
Nancy will receive that backing from the stands. Whatever legitimate grievances Celtic’s fanbase has about the direction of their club and circumstance by which Nancy was coaxed from Columbus Crew, they are generally wise enough to give the man a chance. Which is not to say there were no howls of outcry when Nancy’s name was initially floated as a potential successor to Brendan Rodgers.
Nancy stood alone with his thoughts for much of Celtic’s humbling at the hands of Roma. He will encounter an even bigger gap between dugout and touchline at Hampden Park on Sunday as Celtic hope to navigate choppy waters by lifting the League Cup. A game that could ordinarily be shrugged off as a competitive non-event – Celtic’s resource dwarfs that of St Mirren – suddenly carries huge significance. Nancy is the first manager in Celtic history to lose his opening two matches. If the run stretches to three, the alarm bells will be heard in Ohio and beyond.
It is preposterous that the League Cup offers Celtic a form of salvation. A year ago they were in the midst of a five-match unbeaten run in the Champions League and irritated by a scoreless draw at Dinamo Zagreb. Watching Roma – a strong side, it must be recognised – take a steamroller to Celtic on Thursday evening was the latest indicator of how a squad and environment have regressed. Celtic Park, where sparks usually fly on European nights, was depressingly flat.
This will be no easy fix. Nancy took over a Celtic squad that has glaringly dropped in quality in the course of 12 months. On paper, the Frenchman inherited a group of players rejuvenated by Martin O’Neill’s run of seven wins in eight games. Scrape further and you will see the struggle to beat St Mirren, the holding on against Hibernian and the grim 1-0 against hapless Dundee. Celtic were terrific in defeat of Feyenoord in Rotterdam yet underwhelming when edging past the 10 men of Rangers in the League Cup semi-final. O’Neill’s mere presence and conviviality lifted pressure on custodians who hardly appear keen for external scrutiny.
Cláudio Braga and Stephen Kingsley were on target as a resurgent Hearts won 2-0 away to misfiring Falkirk on Saturday night to move six points clear at the top of the Premiership. Buoyed by ending a four-game run without a victory with last Sunday’s triumph against their title rivals Celtic, the Jambos raced into an early lead through Braga. Hearts – who survived a Bairns penalty claim just before half-time – had to dig deep to keep their advantage intact before the substitute Kingsley killed off the Bairns’ hopes of getting back into the game with a brilliant strike in the 77th minute (pictured).
Celtic, who play St Mirren in the League Cup final on Sunday, have two games in hand.
Jim Goodwin admitted he understood why the Dundee United fans booed at the final whistle of the 0-0 Premiership draw with Motherwell. The result meant that the Terrors have now failed to win in their last seven matches. However, United manager Goodwin was determined to accentuate the positives, with his side keeping their first clean sheet since 23 September when they beat Aberdeen 2-0.
The Irishman said: "We understand the frustration from the supporters. They turned out in great numbers again today. We've kept a clean sheet against a really, really good team. I'm going to give my players a bit of credit, off the back of a really disappointing performance last weekend.
"We're not happy not to win the game. We don't set up to draw games of football. But we set up in a way out of respect to the opposition. Motherwell are a very good possession-based team. I think they're probably, at this moment, the best team in the country in terms of how they play the game."
Livingston fought back from two goals down to salvage an important point from a 2-2 draw in the bottom-of-the-table Premiership clash with Dundee. The visitors took control of the game with two goals in quick succession in the first half from Yan Dhanda and Cameron Congreve. After being booed off at the interval, Livingston improved in the second half and deservedly pulled one back through Jeremy Bokila. Then, just moments after coming on from the bench, Tete Yengi knocked an effort through the legs of Dundee goalkeeper Jon McCracken in the 85th minute. The draw moved Livingston to within three points of second-bottom Kilmarnock while Dundee climbed to 10th, four points better off than the Lions.
On Sunday, Aberdeen's improved form continued with a 2-1 comeback victory over struggling Kilmarnock, whose winless run stretched to 10 games. The Dons toiled in the first period and were fortunate to trail by just one goal at the interval after Tyreece John-Jules opener the scoring for the visitors. But the hosts upped the tempo in the second half and Kenan Bilalovic levelled before Jesper Karlsson tucked home a late penalty to extend their unbeaten league run to seven matches. PA Media
Still, had the much-maligned Celtic board kept O’Neill in office, they would have been accused of procrastination. There is also every chance Celtic’s results would have endured a drop off in the very games Nancy inherited. The 48-year-old needed this matter of weeks to prepare for a critical transfer window. He has undoubtedly made mistakes; indeed, at times against Hearts and Roma it was tricky to decipher what on earth Celtic were trying to do. Nancy is, however, worthy of patience and some personnel of his own. He refuses to make excuses but points out, fairly, how difficult it will be to pass on his coaching messages during an intense run of fixtures. O’Neill, as a temporary fix, had no reason to care about the longer term when making selections.
Celtic have gone too far in their approach to signing players, where the pursuit of rough diamonds trumps tried-and-tested quality. It should be no shock that they apply a similar policy in the pursuit of a manager. The obvious hope is that Nancy can replicate the work of Ange Postecoglou, who oversaw Celtic rejuvenation. Sceptics already fear he may drown in Glasgow, in a manner sampled by John Barnes, Paul Le Guen and Pedro Caixinha. Records depict Ronny Deila as a reasonably successful Celtic manager when the Norwegian was anything but. Left-field choices carry huge danger in this city. There is no journey comparative to Nancy’s which serves as evidence he can succeed at Celtic. He must prove the exception to a rule. Whether Nancy’s messages can land, and he is convinced they can, is fundamental.
St Mirren are unfavourable opponents in this final. A belligerent team under a belligerent manager in Stephen Robinson is not at all what Nancy would like to see. Celtic have struggled all season to breach the low defensive line St Mirren will deploy. They have physicality and attacking threat. They must also have viewed Nancy’s early struggles with a rising confidence. Pressure, and no shortage of it, sits on Celtic’s shoulders.
Should Celtic lift this trophy they can breathe. Three days later, they face a tricky trip to Dundee United. Aberdeen, Livingston and Motherwell all await before Rangers visit the east end of Glasgow. Nancy will either be empowered by that derby or be a man in deep trouble. Right now, it is impossible to call which option is the more likely.
