Celtic star reveals 'God's honest truth' as he addresses Wilfried Nancy situation and squad morale

The Frenchman has endured the worst start of any Celtic manager in history after losing his first four games in charge. To make matters worse, the chance to win a trophy was squandered with a 3-1 defeat to St Mirren in last weekend's League Cup final.

The midweek defeat by Dundee United at Tannadice was the final straw for Celtic supporters who chanted - in no uncertain terms - for the immediate removal of the Frenchman as well as those who hired him.

While Nancy may still be coming to terms with the demands at Celtic compared to his previous club, Columbus Crew, Anthony Ralston has been around long enough to appreciate the gravity of the situation.

The 27-year-old has been with Celtic since the age of eight and has never experienced a run of first-team results like it. No Celtic player has since 1978. You have to go back even further, 72 years in fact, for the last time a Celtic team lost five-in-a-row. Such a fate befalling them against Aberdeen at Parkhead on Sunday is unthinkable.

“It’s tough to take," Ralston admits. "When you're used to so much success and you're used to winning everything there is to win, to then go through a patch like this, there's no hiding that it's difficult.

“There's no hiding that you feel it. That's just complete honesty. We're not robots. We're human beings. I certainly care about it deeply and we all care about it as well.

“We've got a squad of players in there that have been hurt by the recent turn of events in terms of results. There's no question of that and that's not a secret.

“But at the same time, it's the God’s honest truth, we're all together as a squad. We're out there doing recovery, we're in the dressing room, we're eating lunch together.

“We've got a good togetherness with the group still and still being positive on things because we know we've got the talent, the belief and the experience to turn things around.

“On Sunday, we've got another opportunity for every single one of us to leave it out there, both offensively and defensively, to win a game of football.

“That's what we need to start with. It's a game at a time to then pick up and I'm sure in the end we'll be successful."

Nancy is adamant he can turn things around and Ralston insists the players share his belief.

“I certainly am because I fully believe in this group of players that we've got," he said. "We've got an amazing captain and leader in Cal [Callum McGregor]. We've also got a lot of talent and a lot of experience to help the boys along the way.

“The manager's really enthusiastic and he believes he can turn things around. There's no reason why not. From a personal point of view, I really believe and hope that we can as well. We'll fight for that to be the case.”

One of the main criticisms of Nancy has been his insistence on enforcing his preferred 3-4-3 system amid a hectic schedule. Ralston admits it has been difficult.

"Usually you've got a pre-season and longer to work on these things and to really understand when there's a change of system, to understand your position, to understand where you want certain players to be within the system, both offensively and defensively.

“The gaffer’s had 11 days to work with us even on that. For both us and for the coaching staff, it's obviously been difficult because you've not got that time. We've got a game every three days.

"The way I look at that is that you've got no choice as a footballer, never mind a Celtic player, to adapt to these situations.

“From my honest point of view, the boys are really trying their hardest and backing that. That's what we need to try and continue to do. It’s important that we now start turning things around.

“We just have to listen and try to implement that in the game as quickly as we can. That isn't easy to do and that's no secret. Again, like I say, when you're at a club like Celtic, you have no choice.

“You have to adapt and you have to be successful. That's the demand on us as players. We need to take that responsibility as well as following the manager's instructions.”

Ralston is also coming to terms with being asked to play a new position with the right-back having been deployed on the right-hand side of a three-man central defence.

“It is new to me, yes," he said. "It is a different position that I'm playing in. Obviously, I've come through all my days being a right-back, but I am now playing as a centre-half.

"It’s about showing that you can adapt when you're a footballer and also even more so when you're a Celtic player. You need to adapt and continue to have success, because that's what the club is built on and that's what you're demanded to do.

“I feel comfortable. I've come on against Roma, but then I played the cup final and I played last night in that new role.

“There's a few things that I need to analyse in my own personal game. Slight positional, both defensively and offensively, but I feel very comfortable.

“It suits me in terms of being in a lot of duels with the boys and using my physicality.

“Also, you need to show quality on the ball, because most of the time you're starting the build-up play to get it to the forward players, for them to be able to express themselves and do their job.

"I just need to keep adapting and learning and keep progressing in that role.”