Wilfried Nancy has spoken about his brief time as Celtic manager, highlighting a clash with the club’s culture. The Frenchman took over from Martin O’Neill last December but was sacked the following month after only eight games.
Speaking on French show AFTER FOOT, Nancy reflected on his experiences in Glasgow. He said he is now waiting for his next project.
Nancy’s Vision for Celtic
Nancy said that Celtic contacted him for a specific role. “The idea was to modernise the club, to bring in something a bit new,” he explained.
However, Nancy said he encountered resistance. “But then I came up against a culture that’s quite deeply rooted there,” he said. He added that the experience taught him about people and cultures.
No Regrets Despite Short Tenure
Nancy does not view his time at Celtic as a failure. “It would have been a failure if, for example, I’d been sacked after six months,” he stated.
He explained that the aim was to improve performance. At the time of his departure, Celtic were third and still in contention for the title.
Nancy acknowledged the pressures at the club. “When you try to modernise, sometimes there’s a bit of fear, let’s say, but then there was the stress too, in terms of a lot of pressure at the club, in terms of what’s been going on there for years as well,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Nancy said he would have liked more time at the club. He believes he could have achieved positive results.
Nancy concluded by commenting on being recognised as a Scottish Premiership league winner. “I can see it that way, but I don’t know if people see it that way.”