Celtic’s new era under Wilfried Nancy stumbled out of the gate as the club suffered a disappointing 2–1 loss to Hearts at Parkhead.
Nancy, arriving with major expectations after his success with Columbus Crew and following Martin O’Neill’s impressive interim run, watched his first match unravel due to tactical missteps and a lack of cutting edge in attack.
The Jambos punished Celtic’s uncertainty early. Claudio Braga opened the scoring in the 22nd minute after Nancy’s experimental back-three left gaps that Hearts exploited.
Oisin McEntee’s header before the break doubled the visitors’ advantage and stunned the home support. Although Celtic improved after halftime and controlled possession, they rarely looked dangerous. Kieran Tierney’s stoppage-time strike softened the scoreline but didn’t change the outcome, as Hearts held firm to move three points clear at the top.
Celtic legend Chris Sutton delivered a blunt critique afterwards. On X, he blasted the decision to abandon O’Neill’s successful setup, saying: “Nancy didn’t trust the Martin O’Neill way.
Hearts were too smart, too streetwise. Celtic haven’t been good enough in the final third all season. January is massive.” In his Record column, Sutton urged Nancy to balance new ideas with the stability O’Neill provided during his seven wins from eight matches.
Nancy remained calm in his post-match comments, stressing that his focus was on long-term improvement rather than short-term results.
He admitted that Celtic “could have prepared better” and acknowledged the challenge of implementing new tactics with little time between fixtures.
With St Mirren, Roma, and a cup final on the horizon, he faces a demanding schedule in which to solidify his philosophy before the January transfer window.
One positive emerged in the form of winger Sebastian Tounekti.
The £5.2m signing from Hammarby was lively throughout, using his speed and directness to unsettle Hearts’ defence. Since joining in September, the Tunisian has shown flashes of real promise, and teammates like Kieran Tierney have praised his impact.
But the verdict from Sutton — and many fans — is clear: Celtic must adjust quickly.
The Hoops still have a game in hand and trail Hearts by three points, but the opening chapter of Nancy’s tenure shows the gap between his ambitions and the team’s current execution. His honeymoon is already over, and crucial decisions now await.
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