Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy has called on his squad to trust their abilities more as he prepares to take charge of the Scottish Premiership champions for the first time. The French coach, 48, takes over from interim boss Martin O’Neill, who oversaw the last of his eight games in charge, following the resignation of Brendan Rodgers in October.

Nancy’s debut comes against league leaders Hearts at Celtic Park on Sunday, with the kick-off scheduled for 15:00 GMT. A win would move Celtic three points clear of Hearts and provide a boost ahead of their upcoming Europa League clash with Roma at home on Thursday.

Nancy on the Celtic Squad

Nancy described the squad as a “quality team” but stressed that confidence and self-belief are key:
“My job also is to challenge them for the best of the team. Quality team, quality players, but they have to believe a little bit more in themselves.”

He emphasized the importance of tactical flexibility, stating that players should be comfortable in multiple positions:
“We have players who can play in different positions. For me, this is important—to have players who I want to play in two positions minimum.”

Nancy highlighted the need to prepare for each opponent individually rather than relying on reputation:
“We play against a style of play, we don’t play against the name of the team. Roma, the way they play is not the same as Hearts. We know what we have in front of us. We know what we want to do.”

Upcoming Fixtures and Goals

Celtic’s schedule is busy under Nancy’s early tenure. Following the Hearts match, the team will face:

• Premier Sports Cup final against St Mirren next Sunday
• First meeting with city rivals Rangers on 3 January
• Four additional Scottish Premiership fixtures before the end of the year

Nancy also hinted at potential reinforcements in the January transfer window, explaining that the club may look to sign players who fit the style he wants to implement:
“Each organisation, the idea is to improve. I’m going to have to assess the team. Now it’s about knowing them as a person. After that, we’ll see what is the best for the team.”

Coaching Philosophy

Nancy described his vision for Celtic’s style of play, focusing on proactivity and defensive resilience:
“I want to play in a certain way. Proactive, try to put out on the opposition, try to attack the ball as soon as possible and after that also be disgusting to play against when we defend because we’re going to have moments when we’ve got to suffer.”

The French coach’s approach reflects a balance between attacking intent and defensive discipline, signaling a shift from previous managerial strategies at the club.