Nigel Reo-Coker has been called out by Jim White for his prediction that Wilfried Nancy would be a success at Celtic.
As a pundit who covers MLS, Reo-Coker gave a glowing endorsement of Nancy after his appointment, praising his tactics and leadership.
That didn’t age well, and after being questioned on his prediction, the former West Ham midfielder has conceded defeat and backtracked.
He said what we already know: Nancy’s approach was never going to work.
Sum up Wilfried Nancy’s 33 days at Celtic in one word…
Nigel Reo-Coker on Wilfried Nancy at Celtic: ‘It was never going to work’
Reo-Coker said on talkSPORT: “It didn’t work out, but I will stick by — initially, at this time — he was a good coach.
“I don’t understand why some people get in different situations and scenarios and feel that they have to change and be brand new.
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“You can’t be stubborn. In the modern game of being a manager, anyone with any common sense, whether you want to be a manager or a coach, understands that you have to be flexible.
“You have to be flexible. You have to be versatile. Especially, I don’t think he realised the magnitude of what it meant to manage a club like Celtic.
“That was one of the biggest mistakes. I think he was very naïve, in the sense of: regardless of all the conversations he had, to get to a club like Celtic and not understand what it means to manage that club, and try and be stubborn in your patterns of play and style of play…
“It was never going to work.
“To implement a style of play and a pattern of play, it takes time. It takes pre-season. It takes that foundation to build with your players, for them to understand what your principles are of a manager, what their roles, jobs and requirements are.
“But to go in halfway through the season and try and do that? You’re always going to be in a losing battle.”
Never in doubt… 😅 How relieved are we!?
Wilfried Nancy’s final days at Celtic
After a 3-1 defeat to Rangers at Celtic Park, many felt that the writing was on the wall for Nancy.
After radio silence on the Sunday, Monday began without an announcement, until a press release appeared in the late afternoon.
This confirmed Nancy’s departure alongside assistants Kwame Ampadu, Jules Gueguen and Maxime Chalier.
O’Neill’s return was then confirmed in the evening, with the familiar coaching team of Shaun Maloney, Mark Fotheringham and Stephen McManus.
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