Wilfried Nancy’s Celtic start has gone downhill exceptionally quickly.
His arrival was long-awaited, as delays kept Martin O’Neill in charge for longer than expected. This wasn’t a bad thing, as Celtic won seven out of eight under his guidance.
This set a high bar for Nancy to come in, especially given that his first three three games were all defining in their respective competitions.
Fast forward a week, and it couldn’t have started much worse. Some are calling for him to be sacked already, after three defeats in three,
Others merely think he’s exposed issues that were already present. Chris Sutton has weighed in, addressing some of the things he’s heard.
Does Wilfried Nancy have the belief of the Celtic players?
Chris Sutton on Wilfried Nancy at Celtic
It’s not only Nancy’s results that have rubbed people up the wrong way.
Nancy’s comments in the media have also left some fans unhappy and unconvinced – but make no mistake, results are the main issue.
READ MORE: Auston Trusty makes one thing clear about Wilfried Nancy in raw Celtic interview
And for Sutton, speaking on the BBC’s Monday Night Club, calling for him to be sacked after three games is ‘remarkable’.
“Wilfried Nancy has gone in and his first three games were always going to be difficult.
“In many ways, Martin O’Neill half killed him winning seven out of eight. It’s such a remarkable job that Martin did, and in many of those games in those interviews after the games he was saying ‘it’s all about winning’ – in many ways he is right.
“It did surprise me that Martin said the conversation they had was only for 15 minutes. I can’t believe in many ways Wilfried Nancy has picked his brains more.
“But, he has come in from Columbus Crew and he wants to implement his own way of playing, and he has done immediately. I don’t think that’s a particularly easy thing to do – and it certainly hasn’t been.
“With Hearts, who are well organised – that was quite a close game – and then get walloped by Roma; I don’t care if Brendan Rodgers or Martin O’Neill was in charge of that Celtic team, Roma were a different level.
“It felt like the final against St Mirren was really big. For a St Mirren team to dominate Celtic in the way they did, that’s a problem for Wilfried Nancy.
“There is a large part of the Celtic fan base, and I can’t put a figure on it, but a lot of sensible minded Celtic people that I know are saying ‘enough is enough, you need to make the change now’.
“I am only telling you what a lot of sensible people are saying – I find that remarkable. I don’t think it’s fair. I think the guy needs a window, and he needs time.”
What question would you ask Michael Nicholson and the Celtic board that would require a yes/no answer?
What now for Wilfried Nancy at Celtic?
Nancy’s position could go from unconvincing to untenable if he can’t seal his first Celtic win against Dundee United on Wednesday.
After a physically and mentally exhausting week, he will have to rely on some of his squad players to drag him through the rest of December, with no respite at any point in the coming weeks.
It’s Aberdeen, Livingston and Motherwell after that, before Nancy’s first Glasgow Derby against Rangers on January 3rd.
It feels like Nancy needs a near-perfect run of results in those games if he is to salvage any credit in the bank ahead of January.
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