Celtic have dismissed manager Wilfried Nancy with immediate effect, just 33 days into his reign, in the aftermath of their 3–1 Old Firm defeat to Rangers at Celtic Park on Saturday afternoon.
The move, confirmed by the club on Tuesday afternoon, represents one of the shortest and most damaging managerial spells in Celtic’s modern history.
Nancy departs having overseen a collapse so rapid and severe that his record now stands worse than that of Russell Martin, who was dismissed by Rangers in October and widely regarded as the worst permanent manager in the club’s history.
The Frenchman, who arrived from Major League Soccer side Colombus Crew in October managed just two wins from his eight in charge of Celtic – losing six.
Celtic’s statement confirmed that Nancy’s assistants, Kwame Ampadu – father of Wales international Ethan, Jules Gueguen and Maxime Chalier - have also left the club, alongside Head of Football Operations Paul Tisdale, underlining the scale of the internal reckoning now under way in the east end of Glasgow.
“Celtic Football Club today announces that it has decided to terminate the contract of manager Wilfried Nancy, with immediate effect,” the statement read, adding that a further update would be provided “as soon as is practical”.
Nancy’s brief tenure will be remembered less for what happened on the pitch than for how quickly authority, structure and belief evaporated.
In just over a month in charge, Celtic lurched from instability into outright dysfunction, with performances deteriorating at an alarming rate from the stability brought by Martin O’Neill, who returned to the club after Brendan Rodgers shock departure.
Tactical confusion, defensive disorganisation and a visible disconnect between manager and players became defining features almost immediately.
Saturday’s Old Firm clash merely brought those issues into sharp focus. Rangers arrived at Celtic Park with clarity and confidence, while the home side looked fractured and fragile. The visitors’ 3–1 victory was controlled, assertive and fully deserved - and, ultimately, decisive.
Scenes outside the stadium after full-time reflected the mood.
Protests gathered as supporters vented their anger towards the board and senior leadership (and even Stormzy), with chants and banners demanding accountability.
The unrest, which had been simmering for weeks, spilled into the open once again as the reality of Celtic’s situation became impossible to ignore.
For Rangers supporters, the contrast was stark.
While Celtic spiralled into chaos, Rangers delivered a performance built on structure, discipline and belief under new head coach Danny Rohl.
The gap in organisation and direction between the two clubs was evident long before the final whistle.
Nancy’s record, amassed in just 33 days, has now entered unwanted territory.
His points return; defensive numbers and overall results compare unfavourably even to Russell Martin’s disastrous spell at Ibrox - a benchmark few within Scottish football thought could be surpassed.
That Celtic have managed to do so in barely a month speaks volumes about the scale of misjudgement involved in his appointment.
The departure of Paul Tisdale further suggests this is not simply a managerial failure, but a systemic one.
Recruitment, oversight and decision-making at board level are now under intense scrutiny, with supporters demanding answers as well as change.
As Rangers move forward with momentum after another statement Old Firm win, Celtic are left staring at yet another reset.