Rumours swirl of swift exit but Wilfried Nancy takes Celtic training

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy. Photo: Steve Welsh/PA Wire. 

Wilfried Nancy presided over training at Lennoxtown on Thursday amid social media rumours that the Celtic manager was facing a swift exit from his position.

Fans bluntly called for the Frenchman to leave at Tannadice on Wednesday during a fourth consecutive defeat in charge.

A Celtic source dismissed claims that Nancy was meeting with board members to discuss a severance package just two weeks after arriving in Glasgow.

The 48-year-old has overseen Celtic’s longest losing streak since 1978 and defeat to Aberdeen on Sunday would match a run not witnessed since the 1952-53 season.

Defeat at Dundee United came shortly after Celtic chief executive Michael Nicholson declared the club’s backing for Nancy was “absolutely solid” and that transfer window planning was under way.

But the former Columbus Crew head coach faces a challenge to get to January unscathed with away games against Livingston and Motherwell also coming before the New Year derby against Rangers.

Celtic enjoyed their best period in a game under Nancy when they took the lead early on at Tannadice and created several good chances.

But United had already grown as an attacking force before half-time and two goals in three minutes around the hour mark came amid a period of sustained pressure from the home side.

Nancy’s analysis that his side played well and were punished for two set-pieces against the run of play did not match the stats, which showed United had 16 efforts at goal.

Celtic midfielder Luke McCowan insists the players have to come under as much scrutiny as the manager. 

“First and foremost every player in that dressing room is going to be looking at themselves first, regardless of who the manager is,” he said.

“And then after that you can talk about certain styles of play, you can talk about whatever, but just as I said, as a collective we need to be better.”

The boyhood Celtic fan admitted it's impossible to escape the pain of the current slump. 

“I actually get upset thinking about it because so many guys in there are fans as well.

“It’s so hard mate, I’ll be honest. Every single mate I’ve got and every member of family, I probably don’t even speak to them now, because I don’t actually know what to say.

“When football is your life and Celtic is your life, it’s so hard to escape.

“But it’s just about reacting well. It’s so hard to even put it into words but you just keep going. It’s so hard and not many players in that dressing room have gone through this. Even myself being at previous clubs, I’ve probably not gone through stuff like this.

“We just need to get behind each other and back each other.”

The latest loss followed news that Peter Lawwell was stepping down as chairman, citing “abuse and threats” from supporters.

Lawwell will be temporarily succeeded by long-serving director Brian Wilson from January 1 and the former Labour MP and UK Government minister declared that change had been in the pipeline before Lawwell’s announcement.

Wilson told Celtic TV: “Celtic’s been part of my life since almost the day I was born, so I’m going to accept that (role).

“I accept that it’s going to come with its pressures, but I also want to get the message across that it is an interim role and what we’re trying to do is part of a process of change, a process of moving on and a refresh.

“And that was going to happen anyway, a strategic look at how we do things and hopefully the problems which everyone recognises have arisen in recent times, that they can be addressed.”