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Celtic's Nancy Faces Early Proving Ground With Roma Tie and Cup Final

Immediate tests in Europe followed by a cup final will judge his 3-4-3 blueprint.

Overview

  • Wilfried Nancy has imposed his 3-4-3 philosophy from day one, with analysis dubbing the approach 'Nancyball' and noting he intends to persist with it.
  • His debut ended in a 2-1 home defeat to Hearts, prompting criticism of his formation switch as well as visible touches such as a touchline tactics board and green trainers.
  • Nancy acknowledges he has never coached in Europe or taken over mid-season, yet he stresses a performance-first approach that he believes will translate from his MLS success.
  • The next fixtures are framed as immediate yardsticks: Roma in the Europa League this week followed by the League Cup final against St Mirren, with commentary suggesting a trophy win would buy him time.
  • Former manager Owen Coyle publicly backed Nancy to succeed if granted patience, contrasting his situation with Russell Martin's short-lived tenure at Rangers.