The list of managers to have been sacked by Celtic isn’t that long.
John Barnes and Wilfried Nancy are two men on it, along with Lou Macari, Tony Mowbray and club legends Billy McNeill and Tommy Burns.
But no manager in the club’s history has ever been dismissed in circumstances like Nancy was.
After losing six of his eight games in just 33 days in charge, Nancy was dismissed after a home defeat to Rangers. Martin O’Neill returned to his interim role in his place.
Speaking about the sacking, Barnes expressed his sympathy.
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John Barnes on Celtic sacking Wilfried Nancy
No manager was sacked in more infamous circumstances than Barnes was in the year 2000.
After losing to part-time Inverness at home in the Scottish Cup, Barnes was sacked amid players refusing to play and incredible fan unrest, less than a year on from Celtic’s famous ‘stopping the ten’ season.
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He knows what Nancy is going through – and the Liverpool legend feels that it’s a symptom of modern managers not getting enough time.
Barnes told the Daily Record: “No manager gets the time that they need.
“We’ve seen many times new managers being brought in, given the full faith of the club, and then sacked two months later.
“This is a feature of modern football that I don’t like, but unfortunately, that’s the way things are.
“Of course, Celtic did not give Wilfried Nancy enough time. The problem with joining a big club like Celtic, or any of the big clubs in England, is that if you haven’t got a track record of success you are going to suffer, unless you start well.
“It might be OK if you win your first games and start really well, fans will then place their trust in you.
“But if you don’t, any preconceptions will come to the fore. A manager with a track record will be given more time, but Nancy wasn’t.
“I would have expected Celtic to win the league until the disharmony. And even with Martin O’Neill coming in on a short-term basis, it’s going to be difficult.
“When a manager comes in on a short-term basis, the players respond to that, they know that the coach may not be with the club long-term.
“I would say Celtic are still favourites, but it’s not clear cut.”
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Wilfried Nancy’s ill-fated Celtic spell
Nancy’s start to life at Celtic was daunting on paper – and in the end, the worst-case scenario was exactly what played out.
After O’Neill’s run of wins in his interim spell, Nancy lost 2-1 to Hearts, 3-0 to Roma and 3-1 to St Mirren in his first week.
This was bruising enough, and after a 1-0 defeat to Dundee United, fans were already calling for him to be sacked.
Wins over Aberdeen and Livingston weathered the storm and showed better signs on the pitch – but in a crucial week of games against Motherwell and Rangers, two more defeats sealed Nancy’s fate.
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