Haunted Nancy detached from reality as Celtic's lights go out
As he took a slow walk up the Celtic Park tunnel on full-time, the haunted look on Wilfried Nancy's face told its own story. A sixth defeat in eight games now burdens the manager, whose tenure is increasingly defined by a disconnect between a rigid ideology and the stark reality of results.
A first half that offered promise against Rangers gave way to a now-familiar second-half collapse. Leading at the interval, Celtic had their city rivals on the ropes but failed to land a decisive blow. In their current state, one goal is never a safe margin. Their failure to capitalize was self-inflicted, a symptom of deeper issues that Nancy seems unwilling or unable to address.
In his post-match comments, the Frenchman only reaffirmed a growing sense of distance from footballing reality. He insisted his team "deserved more" from the 3-1 loss, a statement that defied the evidence on the pitch. He spoke of the defeat being about "moments" and "details," as if these exist in a universe separate from his players and his own tactical instructions.
His stubborn adherence to an ill-fitting system, introduced without the benefit of a pre-season, now looks like a critical flaw. While managers like Danny Rohl at Rangers have adapted pragmatically to their squad's limitations, Nancy has pressed on regardless. Is it stubbornness, arrogance, or naivety? The Celtic support, witnessing the rapid erosion of the soft progress made under Martin O'Neill, increasingly fears it is all three.
The collapse was as predictable as it was comprehensive. Once Rangers fought back, they struck three times in 21 ruthless minutes, exploiting the colossal spaces in Celtic's shape and a palpable fragility in mentality. The lights went out on Celtic's challenge in an instant.
The manager's in-game decisions did little to inspire confidence. The deployment of new signing Julian Araujo was bewildering; thrust into an Old Firm debut at 2-1 down, the right-back was shuffled between wing-back and centre-half in a chaotic 23-minute cameo. It was a move that disrupted his own team more than the opposition, akin to handing a gift to Rangers.
While Rangers were far from flawless, they displayed the doggedness and clinical edge that Celtic sorely lack. Youssef Chermiti emerged as an unlikely hero, his quickfire double transforming the match and highlighting the attacking potency Celtic are missing.
This malaise, however, extends beyond the dugout. Serious questions must be directed at director of football operations Paul Tisdale and the Celtic board who ratified this appointment. What due diligence was done? The evidence so far suggests the hiring of Nancy was a speculative punt that has backfired spectacularly.
The toxicity between the board and supporters is reaching historic levels, fueled by lamentable results and a profound sense of stagnation under majority shareholder Dermot Desmond. Ironically, while Celtic fans mocked Rangers' earlier season chaos—from farcical signings to executive purges—their rivals have now drawn level with them in the table, both looking up at Hearts. Rangers have taken painful steps towards a cleaner slate. Celtic remain mired in chaos.
Relieving Wilfried Nancy of his duties appears an inevitable first step, even after just eight games. No promise of a future "process" is cutting through the current anger. The alarming sight of a wall of police and stewards holding back furious fans at full-time underscores the boiling point the club has reached.
If the board ends this failed experiment, the path forward is shrouded in the same fog of uncertainty. The call for a Martin O'Neill return is understandable, but no single change can clear the deep-seated dysfunction at play. This chaos belongs to Nancy, but it does not belong to him alone.
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