‘You guys kill me’: Wilfried Nancy hits back at critics before Old Firm battle

“In context, I knew this kind of situation could happen. I need time. Give me time and you will see my team. You are going to see what I am going to do because you can see already what I did before."

Fri, 02 Jan, 2026 - 19:47

Ewan Murray

Wilfried Nancy has launched an impassioned defence of his credentials to manage Celtic, asking his critics to apply context and claiming the media have tried to “kill” him during his troubled early weeks at the club. The reality is that his job will come under serious threat should Celtic lose Saturday’s Old Firm fixture.

The 2-0 loss to Motherwell on Tuesday was the fifth reverse of his seven games in charge. The performance at Fir Park was especially dismal, which raised the latest set of questions about the former Columbus Crew coach’s suitability for his role. If Rangers win at Celtic Park they would draw level with their oldest foes despite their own unconvincing start to the campaign. Both trail Hearts in the Premiership.

“This is only the beginning,” Nancy said. “Usually, we have four weeks of pre-season. I did not have pre-season. Before I came, I knew that if I don’t win games I am going to be in trouble because this is part of the job. But I am pleased to be here. I know where we are now. I am not an underdog.

“I didn’t start [in coaching] yesterday. If you do your job you will see the way I want to play, the way I defend, the way I want to attack; it is clear. It is totally normal that you guys, you kill me. I am fine with that. I am totally fine with that because I know where I want to go. Judge me in a few weeks, months.”

A common criticism of Nancy has been the regular deployment of a three-man defence, for which Celtic are ill-suited. The club’s board face a dilemma this month over whether to spend significant money to help Nancy with his long-term aspirations or admit they have made an error in hiring him. After Brendan Rodgers left in October, Martin O’Neill led Celtic to seven wins out of eight while in caretaker charge.

“Obviously people are not happy,” Nancy said. “I, too, am not happy. I see only a few glimpses of what we are trying to do, but I am pleased with that after only 12 or 13 [training] sessions.

“This is the context. It is a fact we have not had the results we wanted, I can not deny that. A few players have been here five, six, seven years and were doing things in a certain way. It takes time. If you do your job, you will see what I do. If you are going to be patient, you are going to see what I can do.

“For the moment, this is a tornado. I knew that. Is it easy to handle that? No, but I am ready for that. Analyse all the games since I have been here, whether we should win or lose. Do it. For now, I shut my mouth and I take it, but I know where we are going.

“This is not normal but it is expected; you do not win, you get killed. We are second, but because we lost a few games it is like we are last. I understand the context. I understand the narrative. I am not saying I accept it, but that is another debate.”

The noise surrounding – and created by – Nancy is just one element of Celtic’s fraught position. Supporters are generally angry with the board, who had to suspend their annual general meeting due to unrest. Rodgers was astonishingly attacked by Dermot Desmond, the main shareholder, at the time of his exit, while Peter Lawwell, the Celtic chair, resigned last month, citing “threats and abuse”. This feels a club at constant odds with itself. A derby win would only briefly calm dissent.

Nancy’s comments are likely to have raised eyebrows at Rangers. Danny Röhl, their manager, had already spoken in upbeat terms about what will be his second taste of an Old Firm fixture.

“We are ready,” he said. “We have a big confidence at the moment, we have a big belief.”

Guardian