Wilfried Nancy's much-needed first win as Celtic manager arrived in incredible fashion as late goals by Kieran Tierney and James Forrest secured a deserved victory over 10-man Aberdeen in a breathtaking Scottish Premiership encounter.
Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy: "I can see an improvement every game. I'm happy for the players because they deserved it. I'm happy for the fans, I'm happy for the club, I'm happy for the board.
"The players did really, really well. We hit five times the post and I've never seen that in my life. Many teams could've been down with all the chances that we had but we kept going wave after wave after wave and I'm really proud of that.
"Good for the players just to validate what they did because I know that it was not easy for them. They need a bit of time.
"We chase anybody. The idea is to compete with ourselves. After that, the standings, we'll see."
Image source, SNS
Image source, SNSFormer Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner believes the club "rushed" the appointment of manager Wilfried Nancy.
The Frenchman replaced interim boss Martin O'Neill, who had won seven of his eight games in charge and took three points in all six of his Scottish Premiership fixtures.
Nancy is waiting for his first win at Celtic after league defeats by Hearts and Dundee United, a Europa League loss at home to Roma and a Premier Sports Cup defeat by St Mirren.
Celtic host Aberdeen on Sunday (15:00 GMT).
"Whatever time you put him in, he's going to be under pressure and he's got to manage the club," Bonner told BBC Sportsound.
"The mistake I think that's been made from the board and from [head of football operations] Paul Tisdale is putting him in at that point in time. They could've left Martin O'Neill until the end of the season.
"Take time to pick the manager. I think it's been very, very rushed. They've almost gone too quick with this. As soon as the decision was made, as soon as it became public, I think he's got to come in.
"He's sinks or swims by his decisions and that's the problem, he's made the wrong decisions at the moment. He's got to rectify it... rectify it very quickly. Otherwise, there's only one way, unfortunately, and that pressure mounts and mounts if you don't win games."
Aberdeen will "prepare as if the best Celtic are going to turn up" when the sides meet in Glasgow on Sunday, says Nicky Devlin. (Record), external
Former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou and ex-Rangers player Kevin Muscat were reunited at Melbourne Victory's Saturday derby win over Melbourne City. Muscat was Postecoglou's assistant at Victory and succeeded him as manager. (Sun), external
Former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was one of those who texted St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson following the Buddies' Premier Sports Cup final win. (Herald - subscription required), external
Image source, SNSCeltic remain without Kelechi Iheanacho, Alistair Johnston, Callum Osmand and Marcelo Saracchi (all hamstring) along with Jota (knee) and Cameron Carter-Vickers (Achilles).
Aberdeen are missing defenders Gavin Molloy and Kristers Tobers with knee injuries.
Image source, SNSMidfielder Paulo Bernardo is urging Celtic to "prove" they are "the best team" by winning games again.
Wilfried Nancy has lost his first four games as manager and will look to avoid making it five defeats in a row when Aberdeen visit on Sunday.
Celtic are currently second in the table, six points behind Hearts at the top and three ahead of Rangers behind them.
"It's a difficult time," Bernardo told club media.
"Four losses in a row, it's difficult for us. We need to change it. It's on us. We need to find a solution to win again.
"The confidence levels will rise again, we know we are the best team here but we need to prove it.
"We are trying a new system with this new manager, we need to adapt. He believes the system is the best so we need to buy into that and be behind him and put his ideas to work."
Nancy has come under serious scrutiny from supporters, particularly for his decision to change from a back four to a back three with very little time to work on the new formation.
Bernardo understands fans' frustration and feels the side maybe weren't prepared for such a drastic change but insists the manager is not wholly at fault.
"The fans suffer with these losses," the 23-year-old added.
"It's not easy for them. They dedicate their lives for this club and they want the club to be at the top level. It's a hard time for us but I think we just need to stick together.
"It's not all about the coach, it's not all about us as well but it was a change in our team and we probably weren't ready at the moment. But we need to find a solution right away and try to win the game on Sunday.
"Even in the worst times we need to stick together, find solutions and do the best we can as a group.
"We need to win all the games, all the time. These games after losses are always a big challenge and we always want to bounce back but we are at Celtic and Celtic need to win every trophy, every championship, every game.
"We have to find a solution and change a path of the last few games."
If Celtic make it five successive defeats in a row under Wilfried Nancy in Sunday's home meeting with Aberdeen, the manager's position will be "untenable", argues the club's former striker Chris Sutton, who says the champions are "paying the price for a woeful transfer window in the summer". (Daily Record), external
Cluj president Iuliu Muresan says there have been no offers for Louis Munteanu, with Celtic repeatedly linked with the 23-year-old striker. (Daily Record), external
Image source, SNSJim Goodwin has backed Wilfried Nancy to "turn things around" at Celtic after his Dundee United side heaped more misery on the under-fire Frenchman.
Two goals in three minutes from Krisztian Keresztes and Zac Sapsford gave United a first win in eight Premiership games on Wednesday night as they inflicted new Celtic boss Nancy's fourth defeat from four.
Ahead of United's home match against Hibs on Saturday, Goodwin said: "I've always got sympathy for any manager that's going through these challenging moments.
"I've been there myself in the past, and I think every manager out there at every level, will experience it at one point or another.
"It's difficult to explain to people outwith football who have got normal jobs, and maybe don't have the pressures of an entire football club on your shoulders, but we do the job because we love it.
"There's challenging moments in every aspect of life, and you've got to be a strong character, and I'm fairly sure Wilfried Nancy wouldn't have got to be a manager of a club like Celtic if he wasn't that type of character.
"So I'm sure he'll turn things around. He's only been in the door a couple of weeks. But obviously, sympathise with the guy and wish him well."
Goodwin insists eighth-place United were "deserved" winners against Celtic and wants to end the week on a high with victory over Hibs.
He said: "I thought we thoroughly deserved it. When you look at the stats, I know Celtic had some big chances in the opening 45 minutes, but never capitalised on those.
"And in the second half, we certainly were the better team, and we had more shots on target than Celtic. I can't remember the last time managing a team that did that to Celtic.
"We've had more touches in their penalty area than they've had in ours, and Kasper Schmeichel's had to make more saves than Dave Richards.
"So that would tell you that would be deserved to be the winners on the night.
"And we have to take the confidence from that. We've played well in the last couple of games, two top teams in Motherwell and Celtic, who are above us in the league table at the moment and we've got to do that again tomorrow against Hibs."
Image source, SNSCeltic have lost four successive matches in all competitions for the first time since January 1978 under Jock Stein. In the club's entire history, only in October 1947 and April 1953 have they ever suffered five defeats in a row.
Celtic have scored 26 goals from 33.5 expected goals in the Scottish Premiership this season, an underperformance of -7.5. Aberdeen have scored 18 goals from 22.1 xG, an underperformance of -4.1. These are the two biggest negative xG differences of any sides in Scotland's top tier this term.
Celtic remain unbeaten in 32 meetings with Aberdeen in all competitions (W25 D7) since a 1-0 league defeat in May 2018.
Aberdeen have lost 35 and won just one of their past 38 league visits to Celtic (D2), going winless in their latest 12 (D2 L10).
Since the start of October, Aberdeen have earned more points in the Premiership than any other side (23), winning seven of their 10 league games (D2 L1).
Image source, SNSFormer Celtic midfielder and assistant manager John Collins believes Wilfried Nancy deserves more time at Parkhead.
The new boss has come under serious pressure after losing his first four games in charge, with some fans chanting for his sacking at Tannadice following the 2-1 midweek loss to Dundee United.
"I don't want to see any manager sacked after four games," Collins told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"It takes time. He's taken over a side that were on a good run under Martin O'Neill with seven wins out of eight.
"Anyone who watched those games will know Martin got a lot of luck as well, but he got them over the line and got the points on the board.
"This manager has had no luck. He's got a lot of injuries at the moment - Alistair Johnston and Cameron Carter-Vickers - two mainstays of the back two are out. He's not really got a centre forward - Kelechi Iheanacho injured - so any team playing without an out-and-out goalscorer is going to struggle.
"He's got a small squad to pick from with lots of key players out who he'll hope will be back in the new year.
"The transfer window coming up in January, can he get three new signings in? They've got money to spend. The key is if they keep him then it's all about signings.
"They've got to bring in, I think, three quality players that are not squad players, they've got to be straight into the team and performing."
Collins suggests it was naive of Nancy to immediately implement his 3-4-3 system.
"He got it wrong for me in changing the system," he added.
"Celtic has been 4-3-3 all season. He's taken over a team that's got confidence after seven wins and my advice to him would have been why would you change the system and complicate things with this group of players with a new manager and a new system?
"Keep it simple and get a few wins under your belt and make maybe changes later when you've got points on the board.
"It's obviously a system that has worked for him elsewhere, but it's always a gamble changing systems when you come to a new club, especially during the season."
Former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is planning an approach to sign captain Callum McGregor for his new side, Al Qadsiah of the Saudi Pro League, but the Scottish champions would fight to keep the 32-year-old midfielder. (Scottish Sun), external
Birmingham City and Norwich City have renewed their interest in Celtic winger Yang Hyun-jun, while Preston North End are also keen admirers of the 23-year-old, who was close to joining City for £3m in September before the transfer collapsed late on. (Sky Sports), external
Despite discussions with the board to end Wilfriend Nancy's two-week reign as Celtic manager, the Scottish champions have confirmed they are backing the Frenchman. (Peter Martin on X), external
Wilfried Nancy is set to remain in his role as the Celtic manager, contrary to recent reports, with the Scottish champions' hierarchy choosing to back their manager despite losing their opening four games under the 48-year-old Frenchman. (The Herald), external
Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy has the full backing of the club's hierarchy, who are on board with the Frenchman's vision and have been fully supportive of his desire to change the playing system immediately. (Sky Sports), external
Celtic are ready to spend in the January transfer market, but there are some internal concerns that they are spending on the wrong manager and the board has quietly begun sounding out potential replacements should they feel the need to replace Wilfried Nancy in the new year. (TeamTalk), external
Simon Jordan insists Martin O'Neill, who he works beside as a TalkSport pundit, was not just an interim manager during his eight-week return to Celtic, whose board must have really believed in appointing Wilfried Nancy to move on from the club icon. (TalkSport via Daily Record), external
Martin O'Neill is the bookmakers' favourite to take over at Celtic should they sack Wilfried Nancy, ahead of Bodo/Glimt head coach Kjetil Knutsen, Ferencvaros' Robbie Keane and former Parkhead boss Ange Postecoglu. (Planet Football), external
Steven Pressley says Brendan Rodgers told him a few things about his frustrations and concerns at Celtic and the Dundee head coach was therefore not surprised the Northern Irishman left the Scottish champions' manager post just days later. (Scottish Sun), external
Nicky Hayen, who was linked with the Celtic manager's job and has since been sacked by Club Brugge, is leading the race to take over at Belgium top-flight rivals Genk. (HLN), external
Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Image source, SNSThere is speculation about the futures of Callum McGregor and Wilfried Nancy
Image source, SNSMidfielder Luke McCowan admits he can't face friends and family because he is at a loss to explain Celtic's dreadful start under Wilfried Nancy.
The Scottish champions are on their longest losing streak for 48 years after Dundee United inflicted a fourth consecutive defeat on the new manager.
"Most of the players that we've got in there know what it's like to be part of a winning Celtic, and right now I can tell you first hand that it's so, so sore," said McCowan.
"I actually get upset thinking about it because so many guys in there are fans as well, it's so hard.
"Every single mate I've got and every member of family, I probably don't even speak to them now, because I don't actually know what to say.
"When football is your life and Celtic is your life, it's so hard to escape. But it's just about reacting well.
"It's so hard to even put it into words but you just keep going. It's so hard and not many players in that dressing room have gone through this. Even myself being at previous clubs, I've probably not gone through stuff like this.
"We just need to get behind each other and back each other."
Nancy's tactical approach has come under close scrutiny - United were allowed 16 efforts at goal on Wednesday night - but McCowan stressed the players will be examining their own roles.
"First and foremost every player in that dressing room is going to be looking at themselves first, regardless of who the manager is," he said.
"And then after that you can talk about certain styles of play, you can talk about whatever, but just as I said, as a collective we need to be better."
Martin Watt
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSWilfried Nancy has quickly gone from obscurity to notoriety.
The Frenchman's nightmarish first fortnight in the Celtic manager's job culminated with a fourth straight loss on Wednesday night as his side crumbled to a 2-1 defeat at Dundee United.
Not since 1977-78 - Jock Stein's final campaign in charge - had the club lost four in a row. Defeat to Aberdeen on Sunday would be Celtic's worst losing run since 1952-53.
Celtic were actually impressive in the first half at Tannadice - one of the "best of the season", according to midfielder Paulo Bernardo - as they carved United open.
Daizen Maeda rifled in a 12th-minute opener and glaring chances were spurned by Johnny Kenny and Yang Hyun-jun.
Celtic's xG (expected goals) in the first half was 1.59 – their second highest of the season, topped only by the 2.55 in the opening 45 minutes of the 4-0 win over Falkirk in late October. Incidentally, that was Martin O'Neill's first game in charge.
Yet for all Celtic's early menace at Tannadice, they failed to register a shot on target in the 78 minutes after Maeda's goal.
And what followed after the interval has already become an alarming theme.
In all three of Nancy's domestic games so far – against Hearts and United in the Premiership either side of the League Cup final with St Mirren – largely encouraging first-half performances have been followed by a drastic decline. From promising to demoralising via a 15-minute breather.
"The drop-off in fluidity, energy and threat posed from the first half to the second is unbelievable," noted James McFadden on Sky Sports.
"There is no control in games, they can't up the tempo. When the subs come on, players are all over the place. You just have a bunch of players who don't really know what they're doing."
As rumours swirled on social media on Thursday that Nancy was set to be dismissed, the Frenchman took training at Lennoxtown in preparation for Sunday's game with Aberdeen.
The Press Association reported that a Celtic source dismissed claims Nancy was meeting with board members to discuss a severance package.
Image source, SNSFormer Celtic midfielder Stiliyan Petrov has expressed doubts over whether Wilfried Nancy should be entrusted with a January recruitment drive.
Nancy, having changed Celtic's formation to a 3-4-3, is under severe pressure after a wretched start of four successive defeats.
And Petrov says the former Columbus Crew head coach may not even see out the month.
"After what we've seen so far, would you trust the manager with the funds, the money that he wants to spend, and the players that he wants to bring in? That's a big question," he told Sky Sports.
"There's another two weeks until the transfer window opens and if he doesn't win games I don't think he'll see the transfer window.
"He's been put on the spot, he's been under a great amount of pressure, and I hope it works for him. It's not good to judge somebody after two weeks, but unfortunately that's the way it is.
"You only get time if you win games. Unfortunately we live in a world where people don't have much patience, especially the Celtic fans.
"The Celtic fans have seen so much success, at the moment they haven't seen what they require from the manager and the team and that's why they are so anxious and they just want something to be done."
Image source, SNSFormer Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner on BBC Sportsound
You can't lose four games on the trot, he had to win it [against Dundee United]. Celtic couldn't defend properly, not just individually but collectively. That's the pressure of managing Celtic, whether you started three weeks ago or right now, the pressure is always on.
They have to stick with the manager. They made a decision to bring him in and they're only four games in.
The pressure is going to be so great now on all of them that whatever they do in the January window they have to get it bang on. Wilfried Nancy is going to have time to work with his players on the pitch and then he can be judged.
Football writer Henry Winter on X
Martin O'Neill got a tune out of Celtic players (seven wins from eight). Same players now look confused and unconvinced by Nancy and his system.
People say Nancy has lost the dressing room. Did he ever have it? Can he possibly turn it around? Process is one thing but Celtic's ethos is winning.
Should the board and Paul Tisdale give Nancy time or swallow their pride, cut their losses (4/4 so far) on Nancy and ask O'Neill to rescue them again?
Ex-Celtic striker Chris Sutton on Sky Sports
When a full fanbase turns against a manager, that's the end. And I don't think we're too far away from that. Where do Celtic go from here? Where does Nancy go from here? The Celtic fans aren't going to accept this. The Celtic hierarchy have a bit of thinking to do.
Let's not make out this is a good team. It's bang average and with key players missing, January's going to be key.
Former USA international turned analyst Alexei Lalas on X
Nancy may just be wrong for Celtic. But that's on them. They knew they were getting a romantic, and if they didn't, then they're inept.
Celtic doesn't care how you win, or about any realities/challenges that may exist. You figure it out, or they'll get someone who will.
Martin Watt
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSEven by Celtic's ridiculously chaotic recent standards, the events of Wednesday were incredible.
The drama began shortly before 16:00 GMT with the announcement Peter Lawwell was stepping down as chairman, citing "abuse and threats".
A couple of hours later, chief executive Michael Nicholson told a club video that three members of staff had been assaulted following Celtic's League Cup final defeat to St Mirren on Sunday.
Nicholson also insisted Celtic's backing of floundering boss Wilfried Nancy remained "absolutely solid" despite a "challenging" start, and revealed talks had taken place this week about transfer plans for January and next summer.
Events on the pitch at Tannadice that evening, though, have heaped yet more pressure on Nancy.
The Frenchman suffered a fourth defeat from four as Celtic led, fluffed a load and chances and capitulated to a 2-1 loss. It was the first time Dundee United had beaten Celtic in 11 years.
Fans chanted for Nancy to be dismissed during the second half and at full-time of another devastating blow to the 48-year-old's hopes of proving he is up to the job.
Time - and supporters' patience - is already running out for Nancy, whose next assignment is Aberdeen at home on Sunday. Defeat there is surely unthinkable if he is to survive beyond a few weeks.
