Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy is under pressure after their recent result against Rangers, and according to TEAMtalk, former boss Martin O’Neill would be ready to take over at Parkhead.
The Glasgow giants suffered a 3-1 defeat at home in the Old Firm Derby on Saturday afternoon, a result which has ramped up the pressure on Nancy. The former Columbus Crew manager was already facing scrutiny after a difficult start to life at Celtic, but the defeat against their rivals has only worsened the situation
In the Scottish Premiership, Celtic currently sit six points behind league leaders Hearts, while Rangers are now level on points after a resurgence under Danny Rohl.
Celtic Manager Nancy Under Pressure
According to a report from TEAMtalk, the Celtic board have held talks over the potential sacking of Nancy, with the hierarchy ‘not happy’ with his response to the defeat against Rangers. It’s claimed that O’Neill, who was placed in interim charge after Brendan Rodgers left the club, would be open to rejoining Celtic alongside Shaun Maloney.
O’Neill enjoyed a strong stint as manager of Celtic, with Luke McGowan describing him as “unbelievable”, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Scottish club were keen on appointing him on more of a permanent basis.
It’s currently unclear whether Celtic are definitely going to sack Nancy, but there’s no doubt the pressure is mounting. The January transfer window will be an opportunity for the board to back the manager if they wish, or they might decide to make a change before pushing forward with more additions.
Celtic Need to Rectify Their Mistake
Removing O’Neill from his position was one of the worst mistakes Celtic have made in recent years. The experienced manager did a phenomenal job of getting the Glasgow giants back on the right track, and they still had plenty of momentum before he was let go to be replaced by Nancy.
The players were clearly buying into the ideas of O’Neill, and although it wasn’t a fancy appointment and perhaps not a long-term option, there’s no doubt he could have done a job until the end of the season. If Celtic had of brought Nancy in in the summer, giving him a pre-season and a transfer window to work with the squad, then he would be given more of a chance to succeed.