Wilfried Nancy will not be “wasting time” on the negative reaction following his debut defeat as Celtic manager.
The Frenchman began his reign at Parkhead just days after being appointed following Sunday’s 2-1 home defeat to Hearts. The match left the Hoops three points behind the Scottish Premier League leaders with the game in hand.
Nancy took great care to inform players of changes during games using portable tactical boards at the side of the pitch, leading one radio pundit to question his choice of green trainers.
The 48-year-old former Columbus Crew and Montreal manager, speaking at Celtic Park ahead of Thursday night’s Europa League tie at home to Roma, said: “People have a right to speak.
“I’ll dress one way, and they’ll probably tell me they don’t like the way I dress, so I don’t waste my time on it.
“If I use (the tactical board), it’s because it’s good for me. It’s not that simple and I’m saying I’m going to use it all the time.
Nancy was criticized for using the tactical board to convey instructions to the team during the match against Hearts.
“I’m going to be very honest with you.
“When I decided to become a coach – sorry, when the opportunity arose to become a coach – I was an assistant coach for seven years, so I worked with a lot of coaches.
“I always told myself that when you become a coach, you cut out everything, so this is what I did.
“I deleted everything from Twitter: my name, my club, what people were saying, because they had the right to say it.
“It’s part of the job. That’s why we study for it. And after that, we’re not here to comment on everything.
“We could go to a restaurant together, and maybe you say you like the food and I say I don’t like it. Do you know what I mean?
“At the end of the day, this is part of the job, I can control what I can control and have good relationships with the players, the club and the people I work with.
“And it’s about maximizing our chances of performing well and winning the game.”
The Celtic wing-back played in an advanced role in Nancy’s first game as manager.
Nancy revealed his mother is concerned about the impact of his whirlwind start to his Hoops career ahead of Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup final against St Mirren at Hampden Park.
He said, “My mom said I had bags (under my eyes).
“I said, ‘Okay, Mom, I just came in to anticipate everything because of the time difference.’
“But again, this is part of our job. I’m really glad about that. I try to be at peace with myself and with you.
“I try to open my eyes to understand the culture, I try to open my eyes to understand the context, and then I just try to do it the way I used to, the way I want to play, because it’s a lifestyle.
“This isn’t something I’m trying to deal with. This is something I feel. I’ll see you later.”
Nancy shows a rebellious side to criticism
Nancy was appointed Celtic manager a week ago
Sky Sports’ gordon duncan At Celtic Park:
“If Wilfried Nancy had any illusions about the level of surveillance he would have here in Glasgow, he would probably realize it when he was asked about the use of tactics boards on the touchline just a few days after starting the job.
“But the Celtic manager seemed defiant. He wanted to send the message that he blocks outside noise,” he said, adding that as a manager he always has and always will. “He didn’t seem to care much about other people’s opinions and gave a fairly calm and rational explanation that he didn’t see the tactical board as a big deal.
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“He may or may not use it in the future, but ultimately I don’t really care about the noise surrounding that and other issues.
“The Celtic manager admitted it had been a bit of a whirlwind with such a busy schedule and so much scrutiny, adding that his mother had also noticed bags under his eyes but other than that he seemed quite comfortable with the challenge ahead.
“This is a huge week for him as not only will he get a poor result as he heads into his first Europa League game against Roma, but there is little doubt that all the scrutiny he is already under will be in vain if he loses the League Cup final against St Mirren on Sunday.”
Celtic’s upcoming fixtures
- Roma (H) – Europa League – Thursday
- St Mirren (N) – League Cup Final – Sunday
- Dundee Utd (A) – Scottish Premiership – December 17 – Sky Sports live broadcast
- Aberdeen (H) – Scottish Premiership – December 21
- Livingston (A) – Scottish Premiership – December 27 – Sky Sports live broadcast
