TEAMtalk can reveal the latest on Wilfried Nancy’s future at Celtic as the Frenchman clings on to his job with the Scottish Premiership giants, with the chances of a return for a former favourite ‘now more realistic’ than ever.
Saturday’s woeful 3-1 home defeat to Rangers, who moved level on points with their Old Firm rivals as a result, leaves Celtic six points adrift of leaders Hearts in the title race and the pressure firmly mounting on Nancy.
However, despite a sixth defeat in eight games for Nancy and Celtic fans staging a post-match protest directed at the club’s board, the former Columbus Crew head coach is confident he can turn things around.
Speaking after the game, Nancy, who has been described as a ‘broken man’ by former Scotland midfielder Michael Stewart, told BBC Scotland: “This is not about myself, this is about disappointing the fans because I know the meaning of this game. I can understand the disappointment, but I also saw what we’re able to do.
“We are really close, there are many things that can turn around. If it was not the case, I would not talk like this. I really believe we can turn things around.
“We are together with the board.”
Despite those comments, our insider, Fraser Fletcher, has told us that the “board have met for discussion” over Nancy’s future and that they were “not happy” with his ‘we’re close to doing great things’ response to the defeat.
Fletcher adds that there are “serious concerns over the squad’s trajectory and the players are not happy”.
In terms of where the club could go next, Fletcher told us: “Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney would be ready to step in again if needed. Even until the summer.”
As for beyond the summer, that’s when “a return for Ange Postecoglou is more realistic now than previously”, although he “would need serious promises from the board” to consider coming back to Celtic Park.
Postecoglou won five trophies during his two-year stint at Celtic, including two Scottish Premiership titles, before moving onto Tottenham Hotspur and claiming Europa League glory.
The Australian has been out of a job since being sacked by Nottingham Forest in October after failing to win any of his eight games in charge.