Celtic are back to winning ways as life without Wilfried Nancy begins.
Nancy was sacked after 33 days in charge, with behind the scenes reports claiming that all was not well from the moment he walked through the door at Lennoxtown.
That was evident as Celtic beat Dundee United 4-0 in Martin O’Neill’s first game back since agreeing to take charge again until the end of the season.
It was night and day from what we saw over the past month, and Callum McGregor’s post-match comments told us everything you need to know about how the players viewed Nancy.
- READ MORE: TalkingPoints daily: Celtic’s man of the match vs Dundee United and player responsibility
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What Callum McGregor said about Celtic win vs Dundee United
McGregor always remained professional, but he was no doubt as frustrated as everyone else.
A defining image of Nancy’s Celtic era was instructing the Hoops captain in the pouring rain, as the 32-year-old looked on with a sense of disillusionment in the air.
In his post-match interview, the midfielder praised the intensity of football, something that had been lacking this past month.
He told Celtic TV: “That’s exactly what we wanted. You know, that’s a Celtic team in terms of the way they play. Pressing, intensity, quick football, aggressive, scoring goals, clean sheets.
“We just sort of picked up where we left off. You know, the six weeks they were in were incredible. The team had a real bounce, playing with confidence and playing with clarity.”
How much responsibility should the players take for Nancy’s tenure, given how quickly they seem to have turned it around with Dundee win?
Callum McGregor made no reference to Wilfried Nancy
The most notable part of McGregor’s post-match interview was that he made no reference to the previous manager.
Those six weeks he spoke about were a homage to O’Neill, and the rest of the squad no doubt echo those sentiments.
When you hear stories revealing how James Forrest was taught to trap a ball, it is no wonder why the players don’t hold the Frenchman in high regard.
Now that the dust has settled, everyone can move on and hope for a fresh start.
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