Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy has been speaking to the media before the Europa League tie with Roma on Thursday.
Here are the key points:
-
Nancy says he “doesn’t waste time” with criticism in the media or on social media but accepts it comes with the job and everyone has a right to express their opinion.
-
He adds: “I’m going to dress one way, people might say they don’t like the way I dress, I don’t waste time on that.”
-
On comments of his use of a tactics board in particular, Nancy says: “if I use it, it’s because it’s good for me. Simple as that. I don’t think that I’m going to use it all the time, but no problem.”
-
On his frantic first few days in charge, Nancy says his mum told him he’s developed bags under his eyes. He adds: “Yeah, mummy, I just came in, jet lag, tried to anticipate everything. But again, this is part of our job.”
-
Nancy was “really pleased” with a lot of the performance against Hearts in his first game in charge while admitting his side “could have been better”.
-
The Frenchman adds it’s his job as a coach to “find solutions and prioritise” although stresses the team have “a good base already” – “my job is not to change everything, it’s to add”.
-
Going into Thursday’s massive Europa League clash, Nancy admits circumstances “could have been better” if he’d had more time to train with his side but feels the players are already showing they are “embracing what we want to do”.
-
The Celtic boss insists his side “played with a back four” at stages in the last game but stresses “it’s not about the system” and says focus is on “how we can connect, manipulate the opposition, disrupt the lines and defend our box”.
-
After his first game, and first defeat, Nancy says “I know I need to win to buy time” but admits “it was the same when I was in the MLS and it was the same when I was a player, you have to be good to stay”.
-
The Frenchman, who was a runner-up in the Concacaf Champions Cup with Columbus Crew, understands the importance of the Europa League and describes it as an “honour” to take part in the tournament.
-
He has “a lot of respect” for Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and is “excited by the challenge” of facing the Italian side.
