Wilfried Nancy said he will not “waste time” on negative reaction after his debut defeat as Celtic manager. Appointed just days earlier, the 48-year-old French coach saw his Parkhead reign begin with a 2-1 home loss to Hearts, leaving Celtic three points behind the Scottish Premiership leaders with a game in hand.
Nancy faced scrutiny for using a hand-held tactics board at the side of the pitch during the game and even attracted comment over his choice of green trainers. Speaking ahead of Thursday night’s Europa League match with Roma, he defended his approach.
“People deserve the right to talk,” Nancy said. “I’m going to dress one way, maybe they are going to say that they don’t like the way I dress, so I don’t waste time on that. If I use it [the tactics board], it’s because it’s good for me. Simple as that and I’m not saying that I’m going to use it all the time.”
He explained that his coaching path — seven years as an assistant before becoming a head coach — taught him to block out external noise. Nancy described removing himself from social media and focusing only on what he can control: his players, the club and maximising the chance to win through good performances.
“When I had the opportunity to become a coach… I always told myself that when you become a coach, cut everything. So this is what I did,” he said. “On Twitter, I cut everything, regarding my name, regarding the club, regarding what people say, because they have the right to say something. This is part of the job. That’s why we study for that. And after that, I’m not here to comment on everything.”
Nancy also acknowledged the fast-paced, high-pressure start to his Celtic stint. He joked his mother had pointed out bags under his eyes after arriving jetlagged, but said he is excited and trying to understand the club’s culture and context while implementing his preferred style.
“This is a lifestyle. This is not something that I’m trying to cope [with]. This is something that I feel,” he said.
Sky Sports’ Gordon Duncan, reporting from Celtic Park, noted that the early scrutiny in Glasgow is intense and that Nancy seemed defiant and unfazed by the noise surrounding his tactics board. Duncan added that it is a significant week for Nancy — a Europa League test against Roma and the League Cup final against St Mirren on Sunday — and that results in those fixtures could heavily influence the level of scrutiny he faces.
Celtic’s upcoming fixtures:
– Roma (H) – Europa League – Thursday
– St Mirren (N) – League Cup final – Sunday
– Dundee Utd (A) – Scottish Premiership – December 17 – live on Sky Sports
– Aberdeen (H) – Scottish Premiership – December 21
– Livingston (A) – Scottish Premiership – December 27 – live on Sky Sports