The next stop for Celtic’s under-fire manager, Wilfried Nancy? Dundee United.
Just like Nancy’s first three games in charge, he has no time to breathe because this is another midweek match for the recently appointed coach.
What’s interesting here is that Jim Goodwin, the Dundee United manager, was at Hampden and doing punditry work for Celtic’s League Cup final defeat to St Mirren on Sunday.
The former Celtic defender, who started his playing career at Parkhead, had some interesting thoughts on what he was seeing from Nancy.
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Jim Goodwin’s honest thoughts on Celtic and Wilfried Nancy
St Mirren’s third goal was comical from Celtic’s perspective, as Goodwin wasn’t afraid to criticise Liam Scales and Kasper Schmeichel for how they dealt with it.
Speaking on Premier Sports (14/12/25), Goodwin was asked by Alan Hutton whether that goal sums up Celtic under Nancy, in the sense that they are ‘confused’ about how to deal with certain situations.
Goodwin agreed, although he did admit that he needs to be ‘careful’ with what he is saying because Celtic face his Dundee United side on Wednesday night.
Goodwin: “I think Liam Scales, when he watches it back, will be disappointed (with St Mirren’s third goal). Of course, Schmeichel doesn’t really come or stay. He ends up in no man’s land.”
Alan Hutton: “See, as a manager, you think that’s where some of the confusion is coming in? They have played a certain formation for a number of years now. They changed to the three. Areas like that. The football is in a dangerous area, and they are kind of looking at each other.
“Right, who is going to win it? Do you think that is one of the problems?”
Goodwin: “Yes, definitely. I have to be careful with what I am saying because we play Celtic on Wednesday night, and it will just be my luck that it all clicks into place.
“I know the system that he is trying to play. It’s one that we adopt at Dundee United as well. It takes time to get your ideas across. That’s what pre-season is for. Really difficult, and that’s where I have sympathy for the manager. It’s really difficult to make those changes mid-season.
“When you think about the volume of games Celtic have had in the last week. They would be really limited to the amount of time they have on the pitch and training with the group. That’s where the questions will be asked about why make these wholesale changes when you don’t have the time to work on it.”
What would your message be to Peter Lawwell and the Celtic board after that loss?
Goodwin on Nancy replacing Martin O’Neill
The other issue for Nancy is the Martin O’Neill cloud hovering over Parkhead.
Regardless of how O’Neill did or didn’t do, just replacing a man of that stature is hard enough, and Goodwin brought that up.
“As a manager, it’s always easier to go in and have a positive impact on a team that’s struggling,” added Goodwin.
“A change of voice. A change of training. It gives the whole place a lift. When you are coming in after a manager of the status of Martin O’Neill, for what he has already done for the club previously. They are big shoes to fill. I think that’s where the surprise is for everybody.”
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