Under-fire Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy has issued a defiant message to the club's supporters, insisting he is confident of turning the team's fortunes around despite a demoralising 3-1 defeat to arch-rivals Rangers at Celtic Park.
A Promising Start Ends in Familiar Despair
The match on January 3, 2026, began brightly for the home side, who took a deserved lead in the 19th minute through Yang Hyun-Jun. The winger carved through the Rangers defence before firing a powerful strike past goalkeeper Jack Butland, sending the home crowd into raptures.
However, the visitors, managed by Danny Rohl, staged a spirited second-half comeback. Youssef Chermiti was the hero for Rangers, scoring two crucial goals within ten minutes to completely shift the momentum of the derby. Tottenham Hotspur loanee Mikey Moore then compounded Celtic's misery with a composed finish in the 71st minute to seal a 3-1 victory for the Gers.
Pressure Mounts on Nancy's Troubled Tenure
The result has severe consequences in the Scottish Premiership title race, leaving Celtic and Rangers level on 38 points, with both now sitting six points behind leaders Hearts. More damningly for Nancy, it marks a sixth defeat in just eight matches since he took over as head coach at the start of December.
The discontent among the Celtic faithful was palpable at full-time, with loud boos echoing around the stadium and hundreds of fans gathering outside to protest against the club's board. The pressure on Nancy is now immense, with speculation mounting over his future before Celtic's next match against Dundee United.
Defiant Manager Points to 'Small Margins'
In a post-match interview with Sky Sports, Nancy acknowledged the scrutiny but remained steadfast. "Yes, I can understand it is part of my job," he said when asked about the pressure. Pressed on whether he feared for his position, he replied: "No, nothing changed."
The Frenchman pointed to fine details and a lack of ruthlessness as the cause of the defeat. "We are really close to doing good things but we concede goals sometimes and it's difficult," Nancy stated. He urged fans to look at the performance, highlighting his team's commitment and desire, but admitted: "The results… yes I want to win games, we all want to win games, but this is the reality for the moment."
His final message to the supporters was one of persistence: "[We will] keep working, keep doing what we want to do and things will work out for us."
However, Sky Sports pundit and former Celtic defender Jackie McNamara was critical of Nancy's in-game management, suggesting Rangers boss Danny Rohl 'won the game at half-time' with tactical adjustments that Celtic failed to counter. McNamara argued that Celtic's rigid shape, even when chasing the game, played into Rangers' hands.
As the fallout continues, the question remains whether Nancy will be given the time he believes he needs to enact a turnaround, or if this latest Old Firm defeat proves to be the final straw for the Celtic hierarchy.
