Wilfried Nancy explains what he is asking Celtic fans for as he backs himself to turn around dreadful start

Celtic have been unable to show any signs of the bounce that so often follows a new manager’s arrival.

Instead, things have gone from bad to worse, with defeat in Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup final against St Mirren a new nadir in what has become a trying season for the club. Despite Reo Hatate’s first-half equaliser following Marcus Fraser’s second-minute header, the favourites were well beaten. Man of the match Jonah Ayunga scored twice in the second half to ensure the cup headed to Paisley.

Nancy pointed to what he described as evidence of the development under him to date. “We had a really good performance in the first half v Hearts, the second half v Roma and the first half today,” he said. “I am questioning everything. That is my job. Here, in the past and so on, this is our job to try and find solutions.

“I told them (the players) before the final that they deserve to have a good result. I know I came in and it was not easy for them, they had to adapt.”

He underlined that the players are “engaged” with what he is trying to do. “There is no doubt with that. It is more about what I ask, to recognise when we have time on the ball to go and attack he box. Instead of playing the long ball can we play forward instead of back? This is more about the connection between one, two and three players. Again, the way we occupied the pitch today was really interesting.”

Nancy says he can ‘understand the fans’

Celtic fans will struggle to buy a lot of what he is saying. He said he understood the fans’ concern that he is not the answer.

“I tell them that I want to do better for sure,” he stressed. “But I am asking them, not to be patient but to trust what I am going to say regarding I can see what we are trying to do. My point is I can see something good but this is not enough, we are not able to be consistent. I can understand the fans. It is totally normal. I can ask the fans to believe in me and to trust I can do things, but that is not my job. I have to act instead of talking.”

Celtic now face a tricky assignment against Dundee United in the league at Tannadice on Wednesday night. They are already six points behind leaders Hearts albeit with two matches in hand, the first of which is the trip to Dundee.

He stressed he has the character to turn things around. “If you don’t know me you may think that I am all over the place,” he said. “No. I know exactly what we need to do to help the players adapt. We had many, many situations where we were exactly on what we wanted to do and what I am looking for.”

He said the frustration he is feeling is painful for him. “But I don’t mind about me,” he added. “My frustration is for the players. I know we can do it. Especially tonight. But again, I want more belief. I try to help them because I know they can do it. I am with them. Obviously the reality is, yes, I just came in, the results were good before. Obviously the players can question the situation. It is totally normal.

“But my job is to find facts that we do well. I want to help them regarding that. Me? This is not a problem. The situation is more for them. I want to help them connect and believe more in what they can do and to enjoy it.”