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Wilfried Nancy Sacking Doesn’t Fix Celtic’s Longstanding Problems

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sean Hartnett | Last updated Jan 5, 2026 1:48 PM ET

No one was surprised by Celtic’s decision to sack manager Wilfried Nancy on Monday. The 48-year-old struggled mightily during his brief tenure at Parkhead, having lost six of eight matches.

The Glaswegian club released the following statement on Monday:

“Celtic Football Club today announces that it has decided to terminate the contract of manager Wilfried Nancy, with immediate effect. The club thanks Wilfried for his efforts and wishes him and his family well for the future.

Wilfried's assistants, Kwame Ampadu, Jules Gueguen, and Maxime Chalier, will also be leaving the club, and they take with them our good wishes.

The club can also confirm that Paul Tisdale has left his position as Head of Football Operations. We thank Paul for the contribution he has made in that role. A further update will be provided to supporters as soon as is practical.”

Nancy only last 33 days as Celtic boss. His 3-4-3 system was picked apart by opponents. Eternal rivals Rangers played Celtic off the park in Saturday’s Old Firm meeting at Celtic Park. Rangers scored three unanswered second-half goals to earn a 3-1 victory that sealed Nancy’s fate.

Celtic Board Must Show Ambition To Fix Long-Term Issues

Celtic FC fans cheer on their team in the first half of a friendly match between Celtic FC and Chelsea FC at Notre Dame Stadium. (MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Martin O’Neill may have temporarily steadied the ship during his interim spell, but longstanding issues remain for the 55-time Scottish top-flight champions.

Nancy and Celtic's previous permanent manager, Brendan Rodgers, both suffered due to a lack of investment. Rodgers called for greater investment and left Parkhead abruptly in October 2025 following a highly-publicized fallout with the board.

The biggest issue at Celtic is a lack of ambition and proper financial backing from the board. Supporters inside Celtic Park have unfurled banners with the messages: “Sack the Board” and “Zero Ambition” during the current campaign.

Celtic spent roughly £13.1 million in new signings during the 2025 summer transfer window.

It’s unclear whether Celtic will reinstall O’Neill as interim manager or turn to heavy favorite Cardiff City head coach Brian Barry-Murphy. Former Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou and ex-Celtic striker and current Ferencvaros head coach Robbie Keane could emerge as candidates to take over at Paradise.

Celtic is currently six points behind Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts through 20 league games. Dundee United will visit Celtic Park for Saturday’s Scottish Premiership match.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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