# Wilfried Nancy leaks Celtic 'instability' plaguing the board

**By:** Mark Pirie  
**Published:** 2026-08-04T19:40:22Z  
**Source:** [Daily Record](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/wilfried-nancy-leaks-celtic-instability-37514261)

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Wilfried Nancy leaks Celtic 'instability' plaguing the board as flop boss comes out swinging
 Nancy lasted just eight games last season after leaving Columbus Crew for a crack at the Premiership
 Flop boss Wilfried Nancy has gone public with claims the Celtic board are hampered by "chronic instability" between themselves and the fans.

 The Frenchman holds the shortest tenure of any permanent boss in the club's history after his disastrous eight-game stint at Celtic Park last season.

 The 48-year-old lost to Hearts, Roma, and the Premier Sports Cup Final against St Mirren in his first week, before defeat at Dundee United followed.

 A 3-1 humbling at the hands of Rangers on home turf proved to be the final straw - with Nancy leaving the role with just two wins to his name.
Dermot Desmond sent an SOS to Martin O'Neill for a second time in the campaign after the ex Columbus Crew gaffer was shown the door.
The 74-year-old would get struggling Celtic back on track, and claim a Premiership and Scottish Cup double.

 But the Nancy has defended his dismal record in the dugout - insisting that the problems he faced had been stewing at Parkhead for "years."
 Nancy claims that his end at the club was "irrational" as he defended his record - claiming "performance indicators" signalled that his record shows he should have won more games.
Speaking to the Sur La Ligne podcast, he said: “It was great because I experienced a new culture, a new environment. Of course, Celtic is renowned for what they’ve achieved. So, the idea was to bring something new.

 “That’s why I was hired. We had to win the Scottish title. We don’t have a choice. But the idea was also to get back on the European scene.
“So, the project appealed to me. I also knew there were many obstacles. There’s been chronic instability for years between the fans and the board.

 “So, when I arrived, there were a lot of games and a lot of players who were injured. But the idea was to go there and get things in place. Afterwards, unfortunately, it became a bit irrational.
“In terms of performance, there were some really interesting things. We should have been winning matches.
“I’m not one to talk about ‘we should have done this, we should have done that’ or ‘if we had done this’ or anything like that.

 “But the reality is that the performance indicators showed we should have won games by two or three goals. But no, we lost a few games. And then, a bit of fear set in regarding our results.
“And yet, we still won some games, but they decided we wouldn’t continue together, even though we were second, and we were only three points behind first place.
“That’s how it is. It was a good experience for me, considering how it all turned out.

 “But it was incredibly enriching in terms of my communication skills. It was the first time I’d arrived mid-year. So, how do you get your message across? How do you adapt?"
 He also took a swing at the Scottish game - insisting his ideas were met with major "resistance."
 Nancy added: “The Scots aren’t quite ready to adapt. Mind you, I’m not generalising.
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 “I’m talking about the football side of things. They have a way of doing things, and they struggle a bit to change some of their ways of doing things, so I tried to implement it.
“There was some resistance, but that’s part of my story, and thanks to that period, I feel even stronger because I learned even more.”