Celtic Manager Defends Methods Ahead of Rangers Clash
Scottish Premiership: Celtic vs Rangers
Venue: Celtic Park, Glasgow Date: Saturday, 3 January Time: 12:30 GMT
Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio Scotland & Sounds, live text commentary on the BBC Sport website & app, highlights on BBC Scotland & iPlayer from 19:15
Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy has passionately defended his coaching methods and emphasized the need for time to achieve success at the club during a compelling media conference. The Frenchman has faced challenges, losing five of his first seven matches since taking over from interim boss Martin O'Neill in early December.
The pressure intensified following Tuesday's 2-0 defeat at Motherwell, leading to criticism from some Celtic supporters. Currently, Nancy's team sits three points behind Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts and three points ahead of their Glasgow rivals, Rangers, whom they will host on Saturday.
Nancy stated, "The board is with me, the club is with me, and the players are with me." He urged critics to consider the context of his arrival when evaluating his performance thus far.
“As you know, I need time,” he remarked. “Give me time and you’re going to see what I can do. You can already see my previous work; I didn’t start yesterday. I would be lying if I said everything is perfect. It’s not, and I was aware of that from the beginning.”
He acknowledged the challenges, saying, “Tomorrow is a big game, but I’ve only had 13 training sessions with my team. Typically, we would have four weeks of pre-season. It’s totally normal for you to criticize me, and I accept that. However, judge me in a few weeks or months. If you wish to evaluate my performance now, that’s your prerogative, but I cannot deny that the results have not met expectations.”
Nancy expressed his commitment to the club, stating he would do everything possible to achieve his goals at Celtic. He believes that the results under his leadership do not accurately reflect the team's performances. “It’s normal for my players to need time and to feel confused at times,” he explained. “This is a process. I don’t like the term ‘process’ because it can sound like an excuse, but it is a reality.”
He added, “Evaluate the games since I’ve been here and assess whether we should have won or lost. I am transparent. For now, I cannot speak extensively because the results are not satisfactory. I accept the criticism, but I know the direction we are heading. Whether it will succeed remains uncertain, but we will do everything in our power to achieve it.”
“Yes, I want to win every game. Yes, I want to win titles. I aspire to create a legacy here, and I am fully committed to this club.”