Celtic Sack Wilfried Nancy After Turbulent 33-Day Spell

Celtic have brought Wilfried Nancy’s brief and troubled reign to an abrupt end following Saturday’s 3-1 loss to rivals Rangers, a result that proved the final straw after a dramatic collapse in form.

The defeat at Celtic Park was Wilfried Nancy’s sixth in just eight matches and sealed his fate after only 33 days in charge, the shortest managerial stint in the club’s long history.

The 48-year-old Frenchman had joined the Scottish champions on a two-and-a-half-year deal after completing the Major League Soccer season with Columbus Crew, officially taking over on 4 December.

His arrival came after an encouraging run under interim boss Martin O’Neill, who oversaw seven wins from eight games and steadied the ship during the transition. That momentum quickly evaporated once Nancy took charge.

Celtic made an unwanted start to his tenure as he became the first manager in the club’s history to lose his opening two matches. Matters worsened with a 3-1 defeat to St Mirren in the Premier Sports Cup final, followed by a 2-1 loss away to Dundee United.

Those results triggered a four-game losing streak, a sequence not seen at Celtic since the days of Jock Stein back in 1978. Although successive league victories over Aberdeen and Livingston briefly eased the pressure, the respite was short-lived.

A 2-0 defeat at Motherwell on Tuesday was followed by a painful second-half collapse against Rangers, leaving the board with little option but to act.

Alongside Nancy, Celtic have also removed Paul Tisdale from his role as head of football operations. Tisdale, formerly of Exeter City and Stevenage, had been in the position since October 2024.

In a brief statement, the club confirmed the departures of Nancy and his coaching staff, Kwame Ampadu, Jules Gueguen and Maxime Chalier, adding that a “further update will be provided to supporters as soon as is practical”.