Wilfried Nancy’s second game in charge of Celtic was a hard watch.
No one expected Roma to be an easy opposition, but the deflation in the stadium was palpable when Liam Scales scored an own goal after just five minutes.
It was an immense struggle for Celtic to get a foothold in the game. By the time the half-time whistle had gone, a double from Evan Ferguson had put Roma out of sight.
Arne Engels’ missed penalty summed up the team’s night – and though it is early days, Nancy is clearly dealing with an unhappy support and a shaken group of players.
But we’ve been here before, with a new, unknown manager getting off to a difficult start. Joe Hart was keen to stress this after the game.
Given the challenging timing of his start, how much of the blame does Wilfried Nancy take for his two defeats so far?
Joe Hart tells Ange Postecoglou story relevant to Celtic boss Wilfried Nancy
Hart was one of the key signings of Ange Postecoglou’s first transfer window, but it wasn’t plain sailing straight away.
In fact, Celtic won just three of their first seven league games, failing to qualify for the Champions League.
READ MORE: Wilfried Nancy says he ‘could’ve said no’ to Celtic start in direct Roma response
Hart, speaking on TNT Sports’ live broadcast of the game, told a brilliant story of the early stages of Ange in Glasgow, using it as advice for Nancy.
He said: “We had a great example. I remember, we lost 1-0 away at Livingston.
“We were trying to play on the plastic pitch, trying to play how Ange had asked us to play. Four or five games in.
“Getting beat, like tonight. Getting hit from behind, losing the ball. ‘Maybe we need a little plan B in these situations, gaffer.’
“Before we could even say it, the finger was out: ‘Absolutely not. This is how I want you to play. You do it in any situation, and you believe in it.
“And for me, that meant the world to me. Because sometimes I was stood on the ball, ‘Do I go long?’ I don’t know if someone wants it.
“Now I know: ‘I’m giving you the ball. You better show for me, because he is coming for you. It’s not on me.
“And that’s the messages that need to be clear, once you get in and you start building a new system. That’s what the new manager’s got to do. He’s got to make them believe.”
What have you made of Wilfried Nancy’s post-match comments against Roma?
Joe Hart and Ange Postecoglou’s first summer at Celtic
Looking back on Postecoglou’s first summer transfer window, it really was one of the best in the club’s history.
The early headline signing was Kyogo Furuhashi, who arrived from Vissel Kobe and blew us all away instantly.
Carl Starfelt and Liel Abada were also in the door early, before Hart and Josip Juranovic also strengthened the starting eleven.
And how about this for a deadline day trio: Jota, Giorgos Giakoumamakis and Cameron Carter-Vickers. Looking at how our business has been in seasons since, you don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
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