Celtic's new era under manager Wilfried Nancy has descended into crisis after the Glasgow giants slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat, prompting immediate calls for his dismissal from furious supporters.
A Historic Low for the Hoops
The latest setback came on Wednesday night at Tannadice Park, where Celtic fell to a 2-1 defeat against Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership. Daizen Maeda had given the visitors the lead, but goals from Krisztian Keresztes and Zac Sapsford turned the game around, consigning Nancy's side to another loss.
This result means Celtic have now lost four matches in a row across all competitions, a sequence that includes a Europa League tie against Roma and the Scottish League Cup final defeat to St Mirren. This is the first time the club has suffered four consecutive defeats since 1978, marking a historic low and piling immense pressure on the new boss.
Pressure Mounts After Nightmare Start
Wilfried Nancy was officially appointed as Brendan Rodgers' long-term successor on December 4, with Martin O'Neill having served as interim manager. His first official game was a loss to league leaders Hearts earlier this month, and the poor form has only intensified since.
The defeat to Dundee United leaves Celtic six points behind Hearts in the Premiership table, albeit with a game in hand. Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton pointed to the club's summer transfer business as a root cause, stating on social media platform X that the "substandard players" were more to blame than the manager, but conceding the team currently looks like a "3rd place team."
On social media, the reaction from fans was swift and severe. One supporter demanded "Nancy has to go tonight," while another labelled his appointment as potentially "one of the worst in football."
Nancy Defends His Position
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, the 48-year-old former Columbus Crew manager was directly asked if Celtic might not be the right place for him. He firmly rebutted the suggestion.
"No. Come on!" Nancy responded. "I know the situation. Everyone wants to win, me too. I know that there are improvements. Context, just step back and have a look about the context."
He added, "I think I am in a good direction with the players. We had a good performance, but in three minutes, we lost the game. That is factual... I understand the fans are not happy with me, I understand that. I want to have a connection with them."
Despite his public defiance, the instant sack demands from a significant portion of the Celtic support highlight the precarious nature of his position after just two weeks in the permanent role. The club hierarchy now faces a critical decision on whether to back their new manager or cut their losses amid a deepening crisis.
