Joe Hart’s observation — that Wilfried Nancy might not fully appreciate what he’s walked into — captured a widespread unease after the new Celtic manager’s first week in charge. Nancy, appointed from MLS side Columbus Crew and with no prior European managerial experience, lasted just eight days before presiding over a second successive defeat: a 3-0 Europa League loss to Roma following a home defeat to league leaders Hearts. No Celtic boss had ever lost their first two matches — until now.
Nancy kept his composure after the Roma game, highlighting encouraging signs in a stronger second-half display against opponents who did not have to be at their best. That measured response, however, did little to soothe supporters or some former players. Hart, who left Celtic in the summer of 2024 after three seasons, urged those who appointed Nancy to give him more than tactical briefings — to explain the club’s expectations and the unique pressure of managing at Celtic Park, especially with a League Cup final against St Mirren looming days away.
The context matters. Celtic arrived at the Roma fixture amid a season already fractured by recruitment problems, a failed Champions League campaign and Brendan Rodgers’ acrimonious departure. Martin O’Neill’s interim spell had steadied the ship with seven wins from eight, but the mood around the club remained fragile. By the time Roma had a fourth-goal effort ruled out late on, significant swathes of the crowd had left — a striking image at a ground famous for its atmosphere, and one that underlined Hart’s lament about a lack of unity.
On the pitch, Roma were clinical. Celtic’s first half was described by players and coaches as poor: too many lost duels, sloppy possession and three avoidable goals conceded before Nancy could make his adjustments. The French coach had switched to an unfamiliar back three for the Hearts game, then kept the same XI for Rome only to make three big changes at half-time, withdrawing Kieran Tierney, Benjamin Nygren and Daizen Maeda after a calamitous opening 45 minutes.
Despite the scoreline, Nancy defended his players and insisted the reaction after half-time offered hope. He said the team struggled to cope with Roma’s intensity in the first half but improved in the second, that players were trying hard, and that he had seen positives to build on. Those comments — in particular his assertion that he was “not concerned” — drew impatience from some sections of the fanbase.
Pundits were scant in their sympathy. James McFadden said Roma had it easy, Pat Bonner argued Celtic were left only trying to “save face,” and former centre-back Johan Mjällby bluntly warned that results are paramount at a club of Celtic’s stature, implying serious consequences if the team failed to win the upcoming cup final.
Fans voiced a spectrum of reactions online. Some seized on Nancy’s calm as arrogance or naivety, questioning the wisdom of appointing a manager with no Scottish or European experience during a congested run of high-stakes fixtures. Others urged patience, noting Nancy’s tiny sample size and the difficulty of implementing a new system mid-season.
With tactics still being tweaked, squad recruitment concerns unresolved and questions over dressing-room unity, Nancy’s introduction has felt like a baptism of fire. The coming days — with a cup final and critical league fixtures — will test whether he can quickly adapt to the club’s expectations, galvanise the supporters and steady a team in need of momentum.
