Chris Sutton has once again stepped forward in defence of Wilfried Nancy, continuing to back the Celtic boss during a difficult start to his time at the club.
Nancy has already come under scrutiny after becoming the first Celtic manager to lose his opening two matches in charge. Despite the pressure, the Frenchman remains confident he can turn things around, with an immediate opportunity to claim both his first victory and his first trophy in the Premier Sports Cup final.
While some outside voices have suggested defeat could spell serious trouble for the 48-year-old, Sutton has dismissed such claims. However, he did acknowledge there is one aspect of Nancy’s early tenure that could have been managed more carefully.
Sutton responds to Nancy’s tactical admission
Sutton has grown increasingly irritated by what he sees as a lack of patience shown towards Nancy in the opening weeks of his reign.
A major source of frustration among supporters has been the swift switch to a 3-4-3 system, which has resulted in several players operating outside their natural positions and struggling to influence games.
Speaking ahead of the weekend fixture, Nancy admitted he may have introduced too much change too quickly — an admission that Sutton felt reflected well on the Celtic manager.
Writing in his Daily Record column, Sutton said he understood the criticism around the system but welcomed Nancy’s openness.
“People have focused heavily on the formation, and I can see why,” Sutton wrote.
“It was refreshing to hear Nancy acknowledge that he might have moved too fast and that he’s open to listening to the players.”
Sutton suggested senior figures in the dressing room may feel the transition has been overwhelming and that a more gradual approach could help steady results before further tweaks are made.
“It may be a case of pulling things back slightly, getting some results on the board and then slowly implementing changes,” he added.
“At times, it looks like there’s been too much alteration too quickly, leaving players unsure of their roles.”
He also pointed to Nancy’s in-game tactical adjustments, suggesting that frequent changes during matches have occasionally added to the confusion rather than settling the side.
Despite those concerns, Sutton remains convinced Nancy deserves time and support, believing patience — rather than panic — is what Celtic need as they look to stabilise and move forward.
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