Kris Boyd questions the timing of Wilfried Nancy’s appointment.
After Celtic’s 2-1 home loss to league leaders Hearts, Rangers great Kris Boyd questioned the timing of Wilfried Nancy’s appointment.
Nancy was named as Celtic’s next permanent manager earlier this week, succeeding Brendan Rodgers and ending Martin O’Neill’s interim stint. O’Neill had supervised an impressive run of seven wins in eight games, helping to stabilize a group that had struggled for consistency earlier in the season.
Boyd believes Celtic may have harmed that momentum by making the change now rather than letting O’Neill continue.
Speaking with Sky Sports, the former Scotland and Rangers striker stated:
“No disrespect to the teams Celtic faced a few weeks ago, but why didn’t they confirm Nancy’s employment sooner? Martin O’Neill was winning games, and whomever came in next would face a lot of pressure. Today demonstrated that. “This was a huge game for a first match.”
With a Europa League match against Roma coming up, followed by a League Cup final against St Mirren, Boyd cautioned that Celtic could face increased scrutiny if results do not improve fast.
He also speculated that tensions behind the scenes could be influencing the typical “new manager bounce.”
“I’m not sure there’s a feel-good factor right now,” Boyd told reporters. “There is a lot going on between the board and the fans. Winning under Martin O’Neill meant that no one discussed the difficulties. “If you start losing games again, everything will be highlighted.”
Concerns About Tactics and Player Roles
Boyd also questioned how quickly the players have adapted to Nancy’s favored 3-4-3 formation.
He noticed that numerous Celtic players who had thrived under O’Neill now appeared uneasy, including Luke McCowan (who had been in excellent form) and Hyunjun Yang, who had moved from the wing to a deeper spot.
“You just felt Martin O’Neill got the best out of an underperforming team,” Boyd told the audience. “Now, guys are moving around trying to adjust. It’s a big week for Nancy because the pressure might rise quickly.”
Hearts pull ahead as the title race tightens.
Hearts’ victory moves them three points clear at the top of the Premiership table, with both Glasgow clubs now needing to respond to retain title chances.
Boyd feels Hearts will believe they have a legitimate chance this season if Celtic continue to struggle and Rangers remain inconsistent.
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